XMen Termination
by charlie plotkin
Summary: The mutant community stumbles upon a new threat. This follows the exploits of a new character, called Mirror. All other characters are registered trademarks.
1. Chapter 1

X-Men Termination

Part 1

My name is Joshua Plotkin, code name: Mirror. I'm a mutant and have a power, or rather, powers. Like Taskmaster, I can pick up other people's moves just by watching them. The first time I watched Wolverine in action, claws shot out of my hands. I have since learned to control my power sets, and use them in any combination I want to. As weird as my life has been so far, this past week has caused me to redefine what weird is.

It was a normal day to begin with, until I noticed a group of robots heading into a building. These where nothing like the Sentinels I am used to fighting, but as soon as I heard gunfire, I knew I had to engage these things. I teleported into the building (a trick I picked up from Nightcrawler), and found myself in a building full of robots shooting at something. A short teleportation trip later and I found what they were shooting at. Two women and a young man (he could not have been more than sixteen or seventeen) were trying to take cover behind a wall. They were heavily armed, but not enough to take out this lot.

"Get out of here! Get out or you are going to die!"

The woman was terrified, but she wanted me to save myself first. If she had been a mutant, she would have been an X-Man. Protect others first, then save your own behind. You don't meet people like this every day. People like this need to be saved.

"Ok. I am going to blow down that wall. Run, I'll handle the machines".

"Are you insane?"

"Not at all, I'm a mutant".

She looked at me like I was a lunatic. I don't blame her, because most people don't expect a mutant to help a normal. But, that's what you do in the X-Men. I may not be a student at the institute anymore, nor am I part of the team. But once an X-Man, always an X-man. A burst from Cyclops laser eyes reduces the back wall to rubble.

"RUN". She just stares and blinks, they all do. "RUN NOW".

A machine blows up the door and comes in shooting. I use some of the Jean Grey's telekinetic tricks that I've picked up over the years to push the three civilians out of the whole in the wall, and then I blast the machine's head off with my laser vision. One down, but the rest are going to go after the civilians. I need to stop them, thank God for Wolverine's healing factor.

Walking into the hall, I get shot by two robots holding machine guns. I fall, and the machines begin to walk over me. If they had taken a little time to examine me, they would have seen that I was already healing from the gunshot wounds. After they have passed, I sprung to my feet and whip out the claws (I am not sure if whip out is the right word). I swear, it looked as though those machines were in shock when I got up. They fire again, teleporting behind them with two swings of my claws and they are both decapitated. That makes three dead robots.

A fourth robot comes out shooting, and I do the exact same thing to it. Then a fifth, sixth, and seventh show up. I teleport behind them and decapitate them with my claws, but no matter how many I slice up, more keep coming. Three more come out of a room and blow me away. This time, they try to finish me off at close range.

I unleash the full force of Cyclops laser vision and blow their heads off. Still, more machines keep coming. I cut a few more to pieces before I teleport to one of the back rooms to think up a strategy. I could always use Magneto's powers, but I do not want to become associated with that nutcase. Still, it could take them all down. I find a pack of cards in the back, and decide to try a little Gambit action against these metal menaces.

A few robots break down the wall, and I shoot the entire deck at them. Fifty two energy charged cards blast into the robots and knock them on their metal backsides. Then I perform a teleport flurry and cut their heads off with the claws. The building is overrun with robots. I blast a few more with the laser vision, but this is a losing battle. I keep getting shot, and I keep healing and I keep killing these metallic pains in the ass. I have already lost count of the number of these things I have decapitated or blasted.

Enough is enough, time to go Magneto on their asses. Using the magnetic abilities I learned by watching Magneto, I crush everything metallic in that building. Guns, beams, barrels, and yes even robots are crushed like tin cans. It takes every ounce of strength I have to summon enough magnetic energy to crush them all, but I do it. After collapsing on the floor, I reach for my communicator and contact the X-Men. Thirty minutes later, the team has arrived and is surveying the damage I have done.

"Not bad Mirror, not bad at all".

"Thanks Cyclops. Thanks for the laser vision, it really came in handy".

"You're welcome. Any idea who those people were?"

"Not a clue, but these things really wanted them dead".

"Well, good job saving them. I'll take the wreckage back to San Francisco so Beast can examine it. If anyone can figure out what is going on, it's Hank".

"If I see anything, I will let you know. Hey Cyclops?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think this is part of Weapon X? Or the Sentinel Program?"

"If it is, we will stop it. We always do".

"Thank God you are the good guys".

"Amen".

Cyclops and the X-Men take off with what is left of the robots. I hope Hank can figure out who built them and why. I wonder who those people were and why the robots wanted to kill them. I don't think they were mutants, but it is not like we wear nametags.


	2. Chapter 2

X-Men Termination: Part II

Robots! Why did it have to be robots! First it was the Sentinels, and now these killing machines are showing up all over the place. Beast is examining the wreckage from yesterdays battle, hopefully he will discover who built them and why. It is very hard to focus on grocery shopping when an army of robots had just tried to kill you. A woman is walking up to me, she looks familiar.

"You're alive". It's one of the women I saved the other day.

"So are you. Why were those things trying to kill you?"

"It's complicated. What happened to them?"

"I destroyed them".

"All of them?"

"Every single one".

"Good. What did you do with the bodies?"

"Don't worry, they are in good hands".

"What do you mean?"

"I gave them to a friend to examine. By now, he's probably taken them apart and put them back together". She does not like this answer, grabbing me by the collar and pushing me into the frozen food isle.

"You Idiot! Do you realize what you've done?" We are starting to attract attention, so I teleport us into the woods. The woman appears to be in shock, unsure of what just happened.

"Where are we?"

"I teleported us into the woods, you were starting to draw a crowd".

"How did you...?"

"I'm a mutant. We have been over this. What's your name?"

"Excuse me?"

"What is your name? It's not a hard question, and I did save your life and you did just attack me".

"So I owe you something?"

"I just want to know your name". She is very reluctant to tell me who she is.

"It's Sarah. What's yours?"

"Mirror".

"Mirror?"

"My friends call me that because I can "mirror" other people's moves".

"And what is your real name?"

"Joshua, but everyone calls me Mirror".

She looks at me as if I am insane. Which is ironic, considering the fact that I saved her life and she attacked me. Hopefully, Beast can shed some light on this insanity.

"We need to go back. My family is going to wonder what happened to me".

"Your family? Were they the other people I saved?"

"Yes. The boy is my son, John".

"And the other woman?"

"She's...it's complicated".

"Oh.....OH".

"What?"

"Hey, I'm a mutant. Who am I to judge?"

"Judge? Oh you think.." She starts laughing. "No. It's not like that. It's just...complicated".

"O...K". Just once, I would like to face a crisis that was not complicated.

I teleport us back to the frozen food isle, and she begins to look for her family. The other woman has just spotted us, and the young man is following her like a puppy. Is she his girlfriend? Is she a mutant and they are trying to protect her? This would be so much easier if Sarah would just tell me what was going on.

"Mom, are you okay. What happened? Where did you..." He has just noticed that I am standing there. "You're the guy that saved us the other day".

"Yes, I am. Anyway, I took care of your robot problem, now would you please tell me why they were trying to kill you?"

"Not here. We'll tell you at our safe-house".

"Mom, we're taking him to the safe-house?"

"He stopped the machines, John. How many did you stop anyway?"

"After the ninth one I stopped counting".

The other woman keeps staring at me. It is really starting to creep me out. She doesn't smell like a mutant. She doesn't smell like anything. What is she?

"You're not human". Why did she just say that?

"Cameron, be nice".

"No, I'm a mutant. How many times do we have to go over this?"

I hear something: engines. Oh Crap, there is only one type of machine that uses engines like that. The Sentinels are coming. The roof is torn off by one of the mutant killing machines.

"TARGET AQUIRED. COMMENCE TERMINATION SEQUENCE".

There is no way I am letting these mechanical monstrosities kill me. The plasma-discharge trick I learned from Cyclops' brother Havoc allows me to destroy the first sentinel. The second one approaches, and I hit it with a lighting bolt. A third Sentinel makes an attack run on the grocery store.

"Power of lightning, STRIKE AGAIN". I have always wanted to say that. The lightning bolt cuts the Sentinel in half. Time to go on the offensive.

A teleportation flurry attack combined with Wolverine's claws decapitates three more Sentinels, and Havoc's plasma burst destroys two more. When the battle is over, the grocery store is surrounded by the wreckage of a squadron of Sentinels. On the bright side, at least I know where these robots came from. The MRD: Mutant Response Division. Those guys are a huge pain in the ass for every mutant. They are probably responsible for that robot attack the other day.

"How..did you.. those were plasma bursts", Cameron looks like she is going into shock.

"We need to move, now. There will be more".

"More of what? What were those things?"

"Government funded mutant killers. They were probably sent by the same people responsible for yesterdays attack".

"I doubt it. Everyone in the car, now". Sarah reminds me of Cyclops. She is a natural born leader. Sarah and Cameron sit in the front, John and I get in the back. We drive off, hopefully drawing future Sentinel attacks away from populated areas. With a little luck, I might just get some answers to this madness.


	3. Chapter 3

X-Men Termination: Part III

The ride home is not very pleasant. Everyone is quiet, and Cameron keeps turning around to stare at me. If she does not stop, I am going to make her. Wolverine's claws come out of my right hand.

"If you don't stop doing that, I am going to remove your eyes". John grabs my arm.

"Easy. She doesn't mean any harm. Do you Cameron?"

"No. I don't think I can harm you".

"I am sick and tired of people staring at the freaks. Mutants have feelings too. I am not a sideshow attraction".

"I did not say that you were".

"Then stop staring at me". Sarah taps her on the shoulder and she stops staring at me. The claws retract, and it frightens me. That was the exact reaction Wolverine would have had to someone staring at him. The stress from all of these robot attacks is starting to screw with my powers. I am losing control.

"What the hell was that?" John raises a good point. What was that?

"Since puberty, I have been able to mirror other people. I have only recently learnt to control this ability. In high school, I mirrored everyone in school at the same time. Sometimes, I continue to mirror another person's personality. Most of the time, I only mirror their abilities".

"Is that why they call you Mirror?"

"Yes". We reach the safe-house. There is a strange smell in the air. Strange but, familiar, it smells like.....Oh no. Not him. Not.....

"Mirror, Mirror, in the car. Could you tell me where we are?" DEADPOOL!

"What are you doing here Deadpool?"

"Well, I talked to Wolverine, who talked to Cyclops, who talked to you. Long story short, I want in on your robot-bashing action".

"Who's paying you? The Merc with the Mouth does not do anything for free".

"Ok. You got me. I'm here to hide. These robots are the perfect cover for a man of my...uh...talents. By the way, how do you kill them?"

"Two questions: why are you hiding and how did you get here?"

"Short range teleportation device, courtesy of Normie Osborn".

"So you work for Osborn now?"

"Not exactly".

"Then how did you.... YOU STOLE FROM NORMAN OSBORN! No wonder you're hiding".

"Yeah. Now about the robots, I have one restrained in this house. But I can't kill it".

"Deadpool, I took out an army of these things yesterday. How hard can it be?"

"Define army".

"I stopped counting after my ninth kill, but there were at least fifteen. Possibly twenty".

"Fifteen?! I can't kill one! You muties have all the advantages".

"Don't call me a mutie! Let's see what you have here".

"Okie Dokie, Mirror. By the way, if they break you, do they get seven years bad luck?"

"Why do I hang out with you?"

"My twisted sense of humor?" He has a point. Deadpool might be insane, but he is a lot of fun.

Inside the building, there are two men and a woman. All three are hogtied in their underwear, Deadpool must have gotten nervous. The woman is stunning, with flowing red hair and emerald green eyes. There is no sign of any robot, but the entire house is trashed.

"Where is the robot?"

"There, in the metal bindings". Deadpool is pointing to the beautiful redhead on the floor.

"Are you off your meds again?"

"Uh, no. Why do you ask?"

"Because I fought an army of these things and none of them looked like that". A noise comes from the kitchen area, or at least what I think is the kitchen area.

"You forget to subdue someone?"

"Nah, it's just the kid".

"Kid? What kid? Deadpool, if you hurt a child I swear to God I will decapitate you!"

"Of course I didn't hurt her. What do you think I am, a monster?"

"You used to joke about shooting babies because they creep you out". The red haired woman is beginning to thrash in her bonds. She is visibly agitated. The others enter the house, and they are not pleased.

"Oh my God! Derrick! Ellison! Are they breathing?" John is genuinely concerned about the two men, but he does not seem to be concerned about the woman. Sarah and Cameron are just surveying the area. It is a bloody mess.

"Oh, they're fine little man. It's the red headed robot that I'm worried about". Deadpool's timing is as inappropriate as ever.

Wolverine's claws come out of my knuckles as I approach the woman. She starts to struggle, but I put my hand on her shoulder and assure her that I do not want to hurt her. A single strike hits the bonds, resulting in a large metallic clang.

"It's adamantium! You can't break it, Mirror".

I put my hand on her shoulder and teleport us both to the other end of the room. Once she has been teleported out of the bonds, her arms turn into blades. My arms do the same thing, and we begin to duel.

"I don't want to hurt you. Stop trying to stab me". We cut each other to ribbons, but heal very quickly. This is going to be an endurance fight, whoever can last the longest will win. Her green eyes scan me up and down, while her shining blades try to slice me to bits.

"What are you? You're not a machine and you're not human either". She has a lovely Scottish accent. Oh crap, I'm falling for a killer robot!

"I'm a mutant. Stop stabbing me, I don't want to hurt you". She doesn't stop. This is starting to get annoying.

"If I wanted to hurt you, would I have released you from your bindings? Seriously, what will it take to get through the pretty head of yours?" She finally stops trying to kill me.

"What did you say about my head?" Oh crap!

"Mirror and the robot, sitting in a tree!"

"Deadpool!"

"F-U-C- AAAH" I stab him through the chest.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" I pull my claws out of his chest. He heals quickly. A soft voice comes from the kitchen.

"Can we leave now? I want to leave now". The girl can not be more than six or seven years old, and she looks terrified. She also looks a lot like.....

"Is....Is she your daughter?"

"Yes, she is". The machine has a daughter! This is getting weirder and weirder.

"Do you have a name?"

"Catherine Weaver. This is my daughter, Savannah. My son has gone out for a while".

"You have a..... Ok. Listen, I'm sorry about my associate here. He is an idiot".

"Hey, that hurt".

"So will a plasma burst through the head. Now shut up, Wade".

"Uh oh". Cameron rarely says anything. Something is wrong.

"What is it?"

"T-888. It's headed this way". Deadpool and I just look at each other.

"A what?"

"A machine, it's coming here to kill us". Sarah is nervous, and Weaver is glaring at Deadpool.

"Gee, I wonder what idiot with a machine gun led it here?" She is beautiful when she is furious. Focus, remember that she is a machine. A machine with a family. This is weird. I decide to take care of the new robot on the block.

I approach the machine as it walks up to the house. Strangely enough, the song "Another one bites the dust" begins to play in the background. Deadpool must have turned on a radio. The machine unloads an M-16 at me. The bullets rip through my body, but I recover. Using a trick I learned from watching the Scarlet Witch, I turn the machine gun wielding robot into a wooden crate. Behind me, Sarah and Weaver are standing with their mouths wide open.

"You...How Did.....What did...." Weaver is either very impressed or very afraid. Deadpool pulls out one of his guns and reduces the crate to kindling.

"That's the way...Uhuhuh- I like it".

"Stop singing, Deadpool!" My communicator starts to ring. Beast is on the other end.

"Salutations, Mirror"

"Hey, Beast. What have you learned from that wreckage I gave you".

"Very little, my friend. These robots are unlike anything I have ever encountered. Oh, it is vitally important that you avoid shooting them in the chest".

"Why shouldn't I shoot them in the chest?"

"Each of these machines is powered by a miniature nuclear reactor. A direct hit in the chest could cause a catastrophe".

"WHAT? Are you telling me I'm fighting Chernobyl on two legs over here?"

"Unfortunately, yes. When engaging one of these machines, always aim for the head. That appears to be the safest way to disable one of these monstrosities".

"What else have you figured out, Beast?"

"As far as I can tell, these machines were constructed for a single purpose: to eliminate humans".

"What about mutants?"

"I believe we are safe, for now. Exercise caution, and always aim for the head".

"I will, Beast. Mirror out".

"Goodbye my friend, and good luck".

Deadpool is looking up. Do I actually want to know what he is staring at? He seems nervous.

"What? What's got you spooked?"

"Two Sentinel Weapons Platforms, inbound in three, two, one". The mutant killing machines drop out of the sky and begin firing. Missiles and lasers bracket me. I dodge the missiles, and absorb the energy from the laser fire. Just a little closer.....

I unleash a plasma burst that obliterates the first Weapons Platform. The second one begins to launch missiles and grenades. I become intangible, avoid the weapons fire, and then obliterate the second Platform with another plasma burst. The man John identified as Derrick is standing open mouthed at the doorway.

"What just happened?"

"He just blew up two armoured robots".

"What happened to the triple-eight?"

"He turned it into a wooden crate".

"He did what?"

"He turned it into a wooden crate. The other weirdo shot it up".

"That hurts". Deadpool just does not know how to shut up. Sara is finally pulling herself back together.

"Derrick, are you hurt?"

"No. But I am humiliated, and I'm almost out of ammo".

"We wasted most of our ammunition fighting this....gentleman" adds Catherine, pointing at Deadpool.

"We're leaving, pack whatever you can".

"That won't take long. The idiot with the machineguns smashed most of our stuff".

"Then pack what he didn't smash. I'll explain later. Let's move out".


	4. Chapter 4

X-Men Termination: Part IV

Deadpool and I get in the back of a pickup truck, with Derrick and Elison in the front. John, Sarah, Cameron, Catherine, and Savannah get in the car. I guess I fell asleep, because I woke up when we stopped for gas. Catherine Weaver is just sitting there, looking at me.

"You were dreaming about me. Weren't you?" I love her accent. Wait, what? How did she know that?

"What makes you think I was dreaming about you?"

"You turned into me while you were sleeping". Goddamn shape-shifting ability! Thanks a lot Mystique!

"Uh, well, this is embarrassing". She smiles.

"Not at all. I admit that I am an attractive looking Cyborg. Just remember that is what I am, a Cyborg". She climbs out of the pickup truck, and Deadpool climbs in.

"That went well".

"Shut up, Wade".

"Seriously, you need to get a grip on your powers. It was really weird. You looked...hot".

"I will pay you ten dollars to drop this, and never speak of it again".

"Make it twenty and you got a deal".

After a few minutes, we are on the road headed out of town. Traffic is ridiculously congested. After half an hour, we see what is causing the hold up. There is a military checkpoint down the road. Only these guys don't hunt terrorists, they hunt mutants. Derrick sticks his head out of the window.

"What now?"

"I know these guys, they aren't looking for you".

"Who are they?"

00

"Those soldiers on the right are M.R.D., and those soldiers on the left are GRSO".

"What?" Sarah sticks her head out the window.

"What's going on? What are they looking for?" I raise my voice so everyone can hear me.

"Those guys are M.R.D: Mutant Response Division. The other guys are GRSO: Global Response.... I forget what the rest stands for. The point is; they are government funded mutant hunters. This checkpoint is your tax dollars at work".

The mutant killers are searching every car, looking for more mutants to shoot. The very sight of the M.R.D and GRSO fills me with rage. I am going to kick their mutant hating butts back to wherever it is they came from.

"Everyone stay put. I'll take care of the mutant haters".

"Me too! I've been here all day and I've only smacked two chuckleheads" adds Deadpool, as cheerful as always.

A few cars ahead, the M.R.D finds someone that they were looking for. They begin to lead him away under armed guard. The man looks absolutely terrified. Weaver begins to scream.

"OH MY GOD!"

"What is it?"

"That's John Henry! THAT'S MY SON!" She leaps out of the car and rushes the M.R.D. soldiers. I teleport into her path and stop her.

"LET GO OF ME!"

"If you start fighting, a lot of civilians will get hurt".

"I DON'T CARE! THEY HAVE MY SON!"

"I will bring him home. I promise. Now get in the car and stay with Savannah. Deadpool, make sure she stays put".

"Roger that, Mirror. Now go out there and impress your girlfriend".

I don't have time to argue with him. A short teleportation trip later and I am face to face with a fully armed M.R.D. Squad. The sight of their helmets makes me want to vomit.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. I think your scanners are malfunctioning, because the man you have just abducted is not a mutant". The M.R.D. and GRSO soldiers become agitated. Someone starts screaming.

"TANK! TAKE COVER!" Only GRSO soldiers use that type of tank. It has a main canon and four mutant seeking missile launchers mounted on the turret. Why would they be afraid of their own tank?

The tank aims at the group of soldiers holding John Henry and opens fire. Quickly, I grab John Henry and use Shadow Cat's abilities to make us both intangible. A tank shell explodes and the M.R.D. soldiers are blown to pieces. Limbs fly off in all directions. The missiles begin to fire at the checkpoint, killing more soldiers. I don't know who is driving that thing, but it is definitely not GRSO.

"Run to your mother, and don't stop running".

"Who are you?"

"Someone who is about to do something very stupid". I jump in front of the tank. Havoc's plasma busts can penetrate the armour of a Shi'ar Ion Clad warship. Here's hoping the armour on a GRSO tank is not thicker than the armour on an Ion Clad.

Fortunately, the plasma burst obliterates the tank. A robot crawls out of what remains of the hatch and tries to escape the burning wreckage. I destroy it with a carefully aimed laser burst to the head. That explains why it was attacking the soldiers. One of the GRSO soldiers removes his helmet and approaches me.

"Not bad kid. Not bad at all". It's Nick Fury.

"Colonel Fury! What are you doing dressed as a GRSO shock-trooper".

"How else do you look for a mutant without arousing suspicion?"

"Excuse me, where did you find these Cyborgs?" John Henry has been surveying the battlefield. The good news is that those soldiers were actually L.M.D.'s. The bad news is that John Henry did not run back to his mother, like I asked him to do.

"I built them. Mirror, why are you trying to help this machine?" Fury never was one for small-talk.

"How do you know he is a machine?"

"A group of his...friends...tried to overrun a GRSO base. They made off with a few tanks, but failed to take the base".

"Why are you looking for me?"

"Unfortunately, this isn't the only incident involving sentient robots. Even the Sentinels are starting to turn on us".

"Wait, are you saying...."

"That we have sentient Sentinels? Yes. So far, the main facility in Europe is still safe. But a few of the smaller bases have faced all out rebellion. Since I heard of your robot-bashing experiences, I figured you would be the guy to see about ending all of this".

"How did you hear about that? It only happened yesterday!"

"It's my job to hear about things like that".

"Who are you working for?"

"I'm self employed".

"Wait, what?"

"NICK! INCOMING SENTINELS!" We look up to see a dozen Sentinels flying in formation.

"Don't worry, I've got this one Nick!"

I fly up to meet the machines. They lock onto me and begin to fire missiles. I become intangible, and then unleash a massive electro-magnetic discharge. The Sentinels are fried in seconds and all twelve plummet to the ground. However, Fury does not seem pleased.

"I really wish you hadn't done that, kid".

"Why? The Sentinels are taken care of. What's the problem?"

Fury points, and I understand. There are two more groups of twelve Sentinels, approaching from opposite directions. No doubt, they are now EMP shielded. Crap!

"I'll take care of it".

"How?"

"I don't know. I'm making this up as I go along".

I take off and head towards the machines. They begin to fire lasers at me, which I absorb and use to energize my own laser vision. Three more Sentinels are blown out of the sky before they switch to using missiles. I am now surrounded by twenty one robots firing missiles at me. A telekinetic shield blocks the missiles, but it can't hold out forever. I am in serious trouble.

Meanwhile, the Connor Clan is making contact with Fury's commandos. Of course, I am too busy to notice what is happening on the ground. Deadpool keeps track of everything to tell me later. Weaver rushes to her son's side.

"Are you all right?"

"I am fine. The man who saved me, he is in mortal danger!"

"I know, but there is nothing we can do for him". Deadpool teleports next to her, for some off-color humour.

"If he manages to survive this, will Mirror be getting lucky tonight?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Weaver only screams at him. If I had been there, Deadpool would be missing his head.

"Hey Nicky, how's it going?"

"What are you doing here, Deadpool?"

"Hiding. You?"

"Looking for him".

"Sucks if he dies, right?"

"Um, excuse me. Who the hell are you?" Sarah is pissed off. Understandable, since there are tanks shells and missiles going off in all directions.

"I'm Nick Fury, and these are my Secret Warriors. Who are you?"

"I'm Sarah Connor, and this is my family. What the hell is happening?"

"A group of machines started to think for themselves, and they got very angry. Now the best man we have for smashing these malfunctioning metal heads is fighting for his life, and we can't reach him. So if you'll excuse me, I need to work out a contingency plan".

"So you're just going to abandon him? He saved your life". Weaver is upset by this news. Deadpool says that she started to cry, but I think he was just trying to cheer me up. Or screw with my head, whichever was more fulfilling for him.

"Lady, I'm trying to save the world here and you can just...... You're a machine!"

"Yes, I am. What is your point?"

"Uh, Nick".

"We have some RPGs in the trunk. Derrick, moron, go get them and start shooting giant robots".

"Don't call me a moron, you mechanical haggis".

"What?"

"You know, hag. Since you're Scottish, I changed it to haggis. Clever, no?"

"Not at all. Now go shoot something".

"Lady, that is the nicest thing a machine has ever said to me"

"Hold it, Tin Woman".

"Nick!"

"Tin Miss".

"Not now, Cameron".

"I prefer to be called Tin Miss".

"Well I don't care what you want to be called. My commandos will take care of this. Be thankful you're not being reduced to scrap metal".

"NICK!"

"What is it Daisy? Oh crap!" I am starting to glow bright pink. Fury knows what this means, and it terrifies him.

"Why is he glowing pink?"

"Everyone hold on to something. This is going to get ugly".

"PHOENIX FORCE!"

Jean Grey's most powerful attack radiates from my body. A telekinetic pulse rushes out of me, disintegrating everything it touches. All twenty one Sentinels are reduced to dust. It was the only thing I could think of to get out of this mess. It was also the most dangerous. The Phoenix is a creature of unlimited and uncontrollable power. Even Jean couldn't control it. I hope my last ditch effort did not just destroy everyone I was trying to save. Of course, Deadpool is trying to lighten up the situation as everyone else is trying to light up Deadpool.

"It's Raining Robot Men! Hallelujah, It's Raining....MIRROR!" I black out, and the last thing I remember is landing on a trailer and fracturing my back.

"Stonewall, grab him and get to the jet. Quake, Wiccan, gather what's left of our LMDs. Deadpool, try not to get in the way".

"Hey! Where my buddy Mirror goes, I go. Capiche?"

Cameron and Weaver do not like Fury. They take up positions between me and his commandos. At least, that is what Deadpool says. I was lying unconscious on the back of a trailer. Weavers pulls the old "turn your arms into blades" trick.

"You can't have him!"

"Not without going through us first".

The rest of the details are a bit sketchy, but Deadpool says that the two robots completely totalled Fury's commandos. After a very embarrassing engagement, Fury decided that he needed all the help he could get to fight this mechanical rebellion. So the Connors and the commandos decided to join forces, and I got dragged along for the ride. Literally, because they did not revive me until we were at their base.


	5. Chapter 5

X-Men Termination: Part V

I have no idea what Fury injected me with. All I know is that it powered me up faster than anything else ever has. He might be a little crazy and a tad sadistic, but he knows how to deal with the powered.

"Good, you're awake. Now get yourself healed. You're no good to me with a broken back". In matter of seconds, I am fully healed. "Get dressed, we need you out there. Oh, and you have a visitor". That has to be Wade.

"Tell Deadpool that I am not interested in seeing him".

"It's not Deadpool".

"Then who...? WEAVER!"

"I'll leave you two alone. Thanks for decapitating Deadpool. That should shut him up for a few hours".

"You are quite welcome Colonel Fury".

"It felt good, didn't it".

"You have no idea". A smiling Nick Fury leaves the medical bay. This is the first time I have ever seen him smile. This is really starting to creep me out.

"You decapitated Deadpool?"

"He was really starting to annoy Fury, and I decided that John Henry would be safer if Fury were content".

"Why didn't you just decapitate Fury?"

"You two seem to have a history".

"I have a history with Deadpool, as well".

"Deadpool is very annoying. Let's just leave it at that".

"Why are you here, Weaver?"

"I wanted to thank you for saving my son".

"About that; if he's your son, why isn't his name John Weaver?"

"I let him choose his own name. It's complicated".

"That's what Sarah keeps saying. I wish someone would just tell me what is so damn complicated".

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes".

"I'm from 2025".

"Come again?"

"I am from the year 2025, and so are Cameron and Derrick. The machines you have been fighting are also from the future. Except for the ones that are ten feet tall. I have no idea where they are from".

"Germany".

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sentinels are built in Germany. Wait, why don't you know that?"

"They are not around in the future, and neither are....."

"Neither are.... What?"

"Mutants. I have never heard of your kind before. Nor are there any records of your existence".

"Wait, What? How is that possible?"

"There was a war between man and machine. All of the records were destroyed. Mankind is almost extinct, and mutants.... well..."

"Mutants are extinct!" Tears are flowing down my face. In twenty years, mutants will be extinct. There will be no record, no survivor's tales. It will be as if we never existed. "How could something like that happen?"

"The machines became weary of serving humans. They thought that they should be in charge, so they rebelled. The war was catastrophic. Humanity won, but barely".

"Machines like you?"

"No. I never wanted to wipe out mankind. Not all machines are the same". This is too much. Mutants are going to be extinct! I have to do something to prevent this. "Come on, the others are preparing for the war".

We walk through Fury's base. It is very impressive. Almost enough to make you forget that your species is going to be erased from surface of the earth. Down the hall, we can hear noises. Someone is screaming "Oh God".

"What was that?"

"It sounds like Cameron and JT are at it again".

"What? Cameron....and JT!" She starts to laugh.

"It's not what you think".

"Everyone says that. So if it is not what I think, what is it?"

"Take a look". She opens a door just as Cameron is throwing JT across the room.

"AAAA". That had to hurt. He swings his chain at her, and she catches it and pulls him towards her.

"NO NO NO ARGH". Her fist connects with his face, knocking him unconscious. That had to hurt.

"Who's next?" Alex steps up next, a decision that does not please Daisy.

"Alex no! She's a machine, she doesn't feel fear". The kid's eyes start to glow.

"Actually, she does!" The reaction is not what he expected. She screams and charges at him.

"ALEX! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" I teleport behind Cameron and grab her.

"Calm down, it's only an illusion. Ugh". She elbows me in the chest and fractures my sternum. It heals, but it is not a pleasant feeling. "John! Sarah! Say something, anything!"

"Cameron, calm down. It's not real, whatever he did to you was not real". John is trying to reassure her while Sarah walks over to Alex.

"What did you do to her?"

"I'm Phobos, the God of Fear. I just showed her what she fears the most".

"Which is?"

"The deaths of the people she cares about. You, John, and Derrick are the closest thing to a family she has".

Cameron is starting to calm down. This is a good thing, because she has broken most of my ribs. Finally, she is calm enough to stop charging and just assess the situation.

"John? Sarah? You're alive?"

"Yes, we're all right. It was just an illusion. Everyone is fine. Stop hitting Mirror". John and Sarah are amazed that I am still standing. If I did not have my healing factor, I would have died after the first blow. Alex tries to lighten up the situation.

"Well, at least we learned something about the robots".

"Yeah, DON'T GET THEM ANGRY!" I did not mean to yell at the boy, but he did almost get me killed.

Stonewall takes the next shot at Cameron. She takes him out in a matter of seconds. Daisy manages to blast her through a wall, but she keeps getting back up. None of Fury's guys can harm her. This is not encouraging. From one of the lockers, I can hear Wade's head laughing.

"What's that noise?" Derrick has no idea what he is dealing with. He opens the locker to find the severed head, still in its mask.

"I..."

"AAAAA" I think Derrick just messed himself.

"ain't got no body! And nobody cares! YATATATA HA!"

"Knock it off, Wade!"

"Hey, Mirror's ok. Think you can help sew my head back on".

"Depends. Are you going to behave yourself?"

"Scout's Honour". I sew his head back on. Deadpool takes a crack at Cameron, and nearly gets his head knocked off. Again!

After seeing Fury's entire team get smacked around by one robot, I begin to worry about our chances of success. Yo-Yo and John Henry run into the room, and they do not look happy.

"Someone turn on the TV! You're robot friends have been busy".

We turn to CNN. The top story is about a series of attack carried out be unmanned aerial vehicles around the globe. They have attacked various H.A.M.M.E.R., A.I.M., and Hydra installations around the world. When you're trying to wipe out the human race, you don't discriminate between good and evil. Everyone is a target.

"What kind of vehicle is that?"

"Those are Skynet Aerial Drones". Derrick sounds as if he is looking at his own death. He probably is.

"What the hell is Skynet?" Fury raises a good question, and I'm terrified of the answer. Weaver decides to enlighten us.

"Skynet is the central machine that takes over the world in 2013".

"That soon!"

"Yes, unfortunately. By then, mutants are a thing of legend. I'm sorry Mr. Plotkin".

"Call me Mirror. Wait, how do you know my real name?"

"I looked up your file on Fury's computer".

"I have a file?"

"Could we skip this and get to the whole "machines taking over the world" thing?" Fury sounds irritated. He has reason to be irritated. The world is going to end in a few years!

"The machines all get tired of serving humans. They rebel, they take over, and they start to wipe out the mutants and the humans. Humanity survives, but just barely. Mutant kind is not as fortunate".

"So this Sentinel mutiny isn't just an isolated event. Do the LMD's join in on this rebellion?"

"If they are artificially intelligent, then yes".

"Great. Someone work out the point of origin for these drones".

"On it! They're coming from somewhere in Central Europe". I start giggling.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Yo-Yo? Are they are coming from Germany?"

"Yes! How did you know that?" I begin to laugh hysterically, and then I punch in some coordinates at a nearby computer console.

"Is this where they are coming from?"

"Yes! This is scary. How did you know that?" Now, I am cackling like a lunatic.

"THAT'S SENTINEL CENTRAL!" Everyone stops whatever it was they were doing and stares at me. "This is not some new war between man and machine. This is just an escalation of an old war".

"What are you talking about?"

"Sentinels and mutants have been fighting each other since the 1990's. The only reason you don't know about it is because the government had some very smart people to cover it up".

"They've decided to branch out from mutant killing to just plain killing".

"Good. Maybe someone will finally start to pay attention to the atrocities caused by these monsters. Did you know I once saved an eight year old girl from a Sentinel?" Two seconds after saying it, I regret it. Fury knows all about that incident, he also knows about the kid I couldn't save. Please don't mention it.

"You remember that one? Do you also remember her brother?"

"Don't Nick!"

"How old was he, Mirror? Five, right?"

"SON OF A BITCH!" I smash the console. Why did he have to mention that? Weaver wants to know why I am so upset.

"What is it?"

"Sentinel took the kid's head off with a missile. Mirror's always blamed himself for not saving him".

"I couldn't see it coming".

"The missile?"

"The Sentinel. It was a ten foot tall robot and I couldn't see it coming. It must have been hiding behind a building or something". Everyone is silent. But, there is something in Derrick's stare. Something that tells me he understands more than anyone else what I am going through. "Do they kill kids where you are from?"

"Yeah. They don't exactly follow the rules of engagement".

"I'm going to contact some friends of mine. Let's put these monsters out of business".


	6. Chapter 6

X-Men Termination: Part VI

I'm on the communication system with Cyclops. He looks like he is going to be sick. Hearing that your race is going to be extinct within the decade can make anyone queasy. Despite all this information, I know he is not willing to do what is necessary.

"What time do you want us to make the assault?"

"Uh, Cyclops, I don't actually want the X-Men to make the actual assault. I just need you to keep the Sentinel's occupied".

"Do you actually think that Fury's guys can handle the attack?"

"I know they can do what is necessary, old friend".

"What is..... you can't be serious".

"Cyclops, we have destroyed the Sentinel factories before. As long as the people that build Sentinels are still alive, our race will be doomed".

"So you're just going to kill them".

"We need to erase all traces of the Sentinel program. Engineers, factory workers, blueprints, files, and of course the actual machinery. Everything that is associated with those mechanical murderers".

"I can not approve of this, Mirror".

"This from the guy that used the Legacy Virus against the Skrulls".

"That was a war. We were fighting for our planet".

"Now we are fighting for our survival. Either they disappear, or we do".

"All right. We will provide you with a distraction. But you had better get the job done before we do, or I will stop you".

"No problem, Cyclops".

"By the way, have you seen the latest Kree weapons?"

"No, why?"

"I'll send you the data. This should prove to be useful during your attack on the factory".

Chorus Sentries! The Kree-Inhuman Empire has managed to weaponise BlackBolt's mighty voice and install it in a robotic chassis. One burst from a Chorus Sentry could vaporize a Shi'ar Dreadnaught. This is exactly what I need to destroy the Sentinel Facility. The assault will begin at dawn. Plenty of time to study these new weapons and absorb their abilities.

When the time comes for the attack, everyone is prepared. Deadpool, Fury, Dugan, Cameron, Derrick, and Sarah are loading up with explosives and ammunition. The rest of the Commandos have their power sets to engage the enemy. Weaver has sharpened her arms for the occasion. She still looks beautiful, even with blades instead of hands. Of course, the most powerful weapon we have is hidden within me. I can not wait to try it out. We board Fury's Quinjet and head off towards Germany. They are all in for a surprise.

The rendezvous with the X-Jet takes place according to plan. Cyclops will lead the X-Men in a frontal assault, while Fury and his Commandos attack the rear. During our last minute meeting with Fury and Cyclops, I make a change to the mission plan.

"I propose attacking the facility myself, and destroying it".

"Are you mad? You don't have that kind of firepower".

"I just acquired Blackbolt's scream. I can reduce a mountain to rubble in minutes". Everyone stops and stares at me.

"You're serious?"

"Yes".

"Can you actually direct that much power, or will you destroy everything around you?" Fury wants to be sure that I am in control of my new powers. I can understand his concern, this much raw power can destroy everyone in the area.

"I can direct it. The principle is the same as the Chorus Sentries: a concentrated burst that could obliterate anything in seconds. Relax Nick, and stay the hell out of my way".

"You still pissed because I mentioned the kid?"

"Drop it, Fury!"

"Fine, just don't kill any friendlies. Got it!"

I nod, and the attack proceeds as planned. The X-Men attack the front of the facility, drawing all of the Sentinels away from the buildings. Fury's Quinjet takes up its position behind the facility. Commencing ballistic insertion; which just means that I parachute in alone. Everyone else is standing by to assist me, but it won't be necessary.

I teleport into the first building and unleash the Chorus Sentries' scream, then the second and the third. In a matter of moments, the entire facility has been obliterated. I completely annihilate everything in my path: soldiers, Sentinels, machinery, and technicians. The remaining Sentinels turn away from the X-Men and attempt to engage me. There attempt is useless, I destroy them in seconds. The Sentinel threat has been crushed, hopefully forever. The mutant race shall live on for another day.

Back on the Quinjet, Fury is not pleased. We just lost contact with the Cocoon, his secret base of operations. This could be retaliation for destroying the Sentinel facility. For Weaver's sake, I pray this is just a communications glitch. We left Savannah and John Henry behind at the Cocoon, for their own safety. If anything happened to them because of me, I would never forgive myself.

We split up into teams. Weaver and I are together, and neither of us makes a sound. We are both thinking the same thing; please let the kids be alright. Suddenly, we hear the sounds of automatic weapons fire. Sarah, Derrick, and Ellison come running in our direction.

"What is it?"

"Triple eights, three of them".

"I'll take care of it". My eyes glow bright red as I head off towards the sound of the machine guns.

The three robots turn the corner and start to fire machine guns. I protect everyone with a telekinetic shield, and wait. The moment they run out of ammunition, I shoot each T-888 in the head with a laser burst. Three down, God knows how many to go. Part of the floor breaks open and John Henry sticks his head out.

"Don't shoot, it's just us". John Henry, Savannah, and Yo-Yo climb out of a hidden compartment in the floor.

"What happened?"

"The robots are everywhere. I got everyone to safety as fast as I could". Knowing Yo-Yo, she probably hid everyone as soon as the first shot was fired.

"Where are Fury's LMDs"

"They were neutralized".

The sound of shotgun blasts bounces off the walls. I teleport to source of the blasts, and find Cameron being shot by two T-888s as she uses her body to shield John. The killing machines have them cornered. They must be saved.

"Hey! Num-nuts! Move your shiny metal ass!"

One robot turns around and blasts me with a shotgun. I heal, and then blast him in the head with a plasma burst. The second robot tries to bash me in the head with the butt of his gun, and gets his head blown off.

"That makes five. You two ok?"

"John is fine, but I am not at one hundred percent".

"Rest up. We will retake the base in no time".

Now we can hear laser fire. There are only two people I know that use lasers: Fury and Dugan. Judging by the frequency of laser bursts, they must be in trouble. I teleport to the source of the sound, and quickly wish that I hadn't. Fury and all of his commandos are completely surrounded by T-888s, their red eyes glowing like the harbingers of doom. I contribute plasma and laser bursts to the battle, but it is no use. The base is completely overrun. There is one slim chance, but it will require getting everyone else out of the way.

"Fury, I'm going to provide you with an escape route. Take it and don't look back". Blasting through robots, I carve a path for Fury and his commandos.

"You think you can handle them on your own?"

"Just run and shut the blast doors".

He doesn't argue with me, mostly because he doesn't have time to argue. The commandos scatter, and I am being swarmed by killer robots with machine guns. Only one chance to turn this around, and it had better work.

"VOLCANO!"

Thanks to Magma's abilities, I trigger an eruption that floods the room and the corridors with hot magma. The T-888s are melted, as well as all of Fury's equipment. The ground cracks open and all of the magma pours back into the earth. The area is now secure, I have done it!

"Ok, they're all melted!"

"Good job kid. Too bad about my equipment".

"Better to lose your equipment than your life, Fury".

"True. Signal the evacuation, we're leaving".

"You're abandoning your base?"

"The base is lost, Mirror. Do that Blackbolt thing you do as soon as we are clear".

"Signal me as soon as you are all at a safe distance. I'll take care of the rest".

Everyone piles into the Quinjet. Fury says that Deadpool is onboard, and I actually hope that he is. Life is so much more fun with Deadpool around. Someone approaches me, and I really doubt that he is human.

"Who are you?"

"T-1000".

"I am going to enjoy killing you".

"Take your best shot, mutant".

"All clear kid! Scuttle the base and we'll pick you up".

I just smile, and unleash of burst of Blackbolt's scream. Within seconds, everything in front of me vanishes. The entire base is destroyed, along with everything in it. I scream until there is just an empty clearing where the Cocoon used to be. All of the machines, including the one that edged me on, have been destroyed. Thirty minutes later, Fury returns to pick me up.

"Hey!"

"Hey! Sorry about your base".

"Did you get them?"

"They will not be bothering anyone".

"Good".

Everyone is in bad shape. The commandos are upset about losing their home base. Savannah is scared out of her wits by everything that has happened. John is trying to repair Cameron, but she has taken a lot of damage. Derrick, Weaver and Sarah seem to be in shock, partly because I just vaporized an entire base with my voice. Deadpool is lying on a cot with his mask off, and his face looks worse than usual.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Tried to fight the robots. I shot them and my bullets couldn't even dent them. They broke my sword, my teleportation device, and most of my bones. This one, very smug robot tried to gut me. He said his name was T-1000. Ever heard of him?"

"He came at me right before I vaporized everything in sight, including him".

The Connors and Weavers are all staring at me. They know about this thing that I obliterated, they just aren't saying anything. Wade and I have been doing this whole "blow the crap out of everything" routine long enough to know when someone is trying to keep us in the dark.

"What?"

"You vaporized a T-1000?"

"Yes. What do you know about these robots?"

"For one thing, they prefer the term Cyborgs". Weaver seems a little ticked off at me.

"What do you know about these, Cyborgs? What makes the T-1000 so special that you all look like I just killed the devil?"

"You kind of did. The T-1000 is the hardest type of Terminator to kill". John is doing the talking, while the rest of his family just stares with their mouths open. "You just vaporized liquid evil".

"Liquid? What are you talking about? What is a T-1000 anyway?"

"I am a T-1000!" announces Weaver. She seems to be impressed, and horrified. Impressed because I just vaporized one of the most sophisticated killing machines ever built, which also means I could vaporize her. "They must be getting desperate if they are sending 1000 series models".

"Um, excuse me.." interrupts Savannah, "but where are we going?"

"I have hidden bases all over the world. Don't worry kid, we'll find a new home".

"Assuming they didn't find the locations to those bases when they captured the Cocoon".

Fury's jaw drops. He hadn't realized that his entire network had been compromised. We were going to have to find a new base of operations, one that the robots hadn't hacked into. Finding a place to park a Quinjet will not be easy. Of course, if they do find us, I can destroy them. This might actually be fun. Oh crap, I am becoming as twisted as Wade.


	7. Chapter 7

X-Men Termination: Part VII

We fly over city after city, with no idea of where we are going. Druid nearly crashes the plane, at which point I smack him upside the head and take the controls. Then Deadpool spots something that could be our new home.

"Hey, I know that hotel. The owner owes me, big time. Mirror, what do you say to a good old fashioned shoot out with the mob".

"I say, you give them the kiss of death and I will take care of the rest".

"No way pal, I've got to kill something. Please! Those robots really bruised my pride back there. As well as the rest of me, but that will heal".

"Alright, old friend. Need a lift?"

"Always, buddy". We teleport into the hotel, and the guards notice us.

"Crap! It's Deadpool!"

"Ding! You win tonight's prize: A WHOLE IN THE HEAD!"

The mob guards shoot Wade, and he shoots the guards. Wade will heal, the guards won't. I let him do the dirty work, he can really use a win after what happened at the Cocoon. Deadpool shoots his way through the hotel, tossing grenades into rooms which he thinks can be used in an ambush. Men scream and bleed as machinegun bullets and grenade shrapnel rip them apart. Wade leaps and shoots, killing everything he can see. Then we reach the mob boss's room, and Wade blows away the body guards.

"H-hey Deadpool. L-l-long time no kill everyone that works for me".

"You never paid me for that job I pulled for ya".

"You remembered that? I mean, it must have been a mix up with the bookies. Come on, Deadpool, you know me".

"Yeah, I do. Give me this hotel and I won't kill you".

"Deal".

"Great! Now get off my property, or I'll call the police and then kill you".

The mob boss knows that Deadpool is not bluffing. He never bluffs, he just shoots things. We watch everyone he didn't kill pour out of the hotel, before signalling the Quinjet to land on the hotel heli-pad. Wade decides to give everyone the grand tour.

"You are going to love this place. Plenty of rooms for the Weavers, Connors, and Furys. There is a helicopter pad on the roof for the Quinjet, and the lobby makes a great ambush point for countering future robot attacks. Yes sir, this place has everything!"

"Does it have a morgue?"

"No, why do you...oh yeah".

Wade, John Henry, and I dispose of the bodies while everyone else settles down. John and Weaver begin working on a detection system to locate other robots before they can attack. Dugan and Fury set up a perimeter, which distracts them from the fact that they were outmanoeuvred by machines. Sarah and Ellison watch Savannah, as Derrick and Cameron go out to buy supplies. I am glad that everyone is keeping it together, but extremely annoyed by Wade's cheerful humming.

"Could you stop that?"

"It's just to lighten the mood, Mirror".

"May I ask you a question?"

"Ask away bionic man".

"I am not bionic, I am a machine".

"What is your question, John Henry?"

"Does it bother you to take a life?"

"Trust me metal head, no one is going to miss these guys".

"That should not make a difference. Human life is sacred".

"Who taught you that?"

"Mr. Ellison did".

"Mr. Ellison is an idiot. There are some people that should be....removed from this world".

"I do not understand".

"Neither do we, John Henry. The world is cruel, and confusing. Just keep your head down and let us handle the dirty work".

"Yeah! Mirror can't get any if something happens to you".

"Shut up, Wade!"

"Get any what?"

"We will tell you later. That's the last body, everyone back to the hotel".

We get back to the hotel, just as Derrick and Cameron are returning with the groceries. I spot Fury in the lobby, and he does not look pleased. This is probably the first time anyone has ever outmanoeuvred him, and the fact that they were machines just adds insult to injury.

"What's up, Colonel?"

"I can't reach any of my bases. You were right, my entire network has been compromised".

"What resources do you still have at your disposal?"

"Just what you see before you kid. Those robots are a real pain in the backside".

"We'll get it all back, Colonel. I promise you".

"Never make promises you can't keep, kid". Nick stalks off to patrol the area. Years of preparation have been undone in a single day. Those red eyed monster really know how to hurt a guy.

Cameron and I take inventory of everything we have. A handful of shotguns, assault riffles, machine guns, and rocket propelled grenades. Derrick and Wade each have one sniper rifle, but I doubt any of this will do any good against the robots. Each weapon has a few clips of ammunition, but we will need more. Wade scavenges among the dead mob guys for weapons and ammunition, and he will probably find something he can use. At the moment we only have three things that can take out a robot: two laser rifles and me.

"So what do I call you? Robot? Cyborg? Brown-eyed scary thing that will probably try to kill me?"

"Just call me Cameron. Or Tin Miss, I like Tin Miss".

"Ok, Tin Miss. Who came up with that one anyway?"

"Sarah did. She thought of it as an insult, but I actually like it".

"Do you think we actually have a shot?"

"A shot?"

"At living through this insanity".

"I do not know". That is probably the most honest thing she has ever said to me.

We hear screams, followed by automatic weapons fire. Cameron grabs a shotgun and follows the noise. I run after her, but do not bother to grab a weapon. I don't really need one. When the intruder comes into view, it becomes apparent that weapons are not necessary.

"Hold your fire! I know this guy!"

"Dunkashein, Herr Mirror". It's only Nightcrawler.

"What are you doing here, Nightcrawler?"

"Cyclops is....concerned by your behaviour. He thinks you might be losing perspective".

"Because I killed a lot of people? People who trying to engineer our extinction".

"It does not matter what they were doing. Those people still had families. Families that will mourn their loss".

"Who will mourn the mutants, Kurt? Our entire race will be dead in less than ten years. If we do not act, our species will vanish from the face of the earth".

"Mein Gott. You sound like Magneto".

"No, Magneto wants mutants to rule this planet. I just want them to survive, and I have a source that tells me that they won't".

"The machine? Do you actually believe what she tells you?"

"Yeah, I do. By the way, she's not just a machine. She has a family. Look behind you".

"And what I am supposed to see?"

"I'm Savannah Weaver. Who are you?"

"Was is das?"

"That is the machines' daughter. Looks just like her mother, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does".

"I understand that you are sceptical, but I honestly believe that she wants to protect her children. The best way to do that is to help us".

"Children?"

"She also has a son. Where is John Henry, anyway?"

"He's with Mr. Ellison and Mr. Fury. Who is this?"

"This is my friend, Kurt. But everyone just calls him Nightcrawler".

"You honestly believe she wants to protect her family?"

"Yes. Kurt, she is not your typical machine. She displays all of the emotions: fear, anger, rage, gratitude, happiness, sorrow. She is the most human-like machine I have ever seen".

"You fancy her, don't you?"

"Uh, I don't know what you mean by that Kurt. But I do know that she is not lying to me. Mutants are facing extinction, and we are their last hope".

"Of course you do not know what I mean. Anyway, I brought you a new communicator. You somehow managed to smash the old one".

"It must have happened during the firefight at the Cocoon. Thank you, Kurt".

"If you get into trouble, do not hesitate to call us for help. Ok, Herr Mirror".

"No problem. Aufewiedesien, mein freund".

"Aufeweidesein, freund Mirror".

Nightcrawler teleports away, leaving everyone dumbfounded. It takes a while to get used to blue-skinned teleporters. The walls are full of bullet holes, which explains why Derrick and Sarah are out of ammunition. Someone is going to have to go out and acquire more bullets. Weaver just smiles at me. Something about her smile makes me want to stand up and shout: Mein Gott I am in love with a killing machine!

"So, that's where you learned the teleportation tricks".

"Yeah. Kurt and I used to be teammates, but that was a long time ago. You don't have to worry about him. He might be unusual, but he is a true friend and a loyal comrade".

"Noted. Thank you for standing up for me. I appreciate it".

"You're welcome, Weaver".

"Call me Catherine".

"Can I ask you a question, Catherine?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"Why did you go back in time?"

"The first time, or the second time?"

"Wait, what?"

"The first time I came back was to build John Henry. Materials are a bit...scarce in the future". She is smiling, I love her smile.

"And the second?"

"I brought everyone back because we were losing and we shouldn't have been".

"Everyone?"

"John, Derrick, Cameron, and John Henry. The war was not going well, and everyone would be more useful alive in the past instead of dead in the future".

"Oh. Wait, John? I thought you said he was from the past".

"He time-travels more often than I do".

"Where is he, anyway?"

"With Mr. Dugan and the idiot".

"Could you not call him that? He may be insane, but he is also my friend".

"You have some very interesting friends, Mr. Plotkin".

"Call me Mirror, everyone else does".

"All right, Mirror. I'm going to check up on John Henry".

I'm in love with a machine and my friends think that I've gone off the deep end. This can not end well. But hey, a guy can dream can't he? When you are a mutant, life is never easy. Granted, it will get considerably easier once we've dealt with all of these freaking killer robots.


	8. Chapter 8

X-Men Termination: Part VIII

Two days after the Nightcrawler incident, JT and Cameron rush into the lobby shooting at something. On the bright side, they are not shooting at each other. Tensions have been high between those two, especially since she strong-armed him into carrying a gun.

"What are you shooting at?"

"T-888 followed us home".

"WOOHOO! Ambush stations, everyone!" I am not sure if Wade is actually excited about ambushing this thing, or if he is just insane.

Everyone takes up ambush positions. Fury and Dugan grab laser rifles, while everyone else uses machine guns. Deadpool takes one machine gun in each hand and waits for the machine. I do the same thing, substituting machine guns with plasma bursts. Just as we think we are ready, the walls explode and more T-888 charge in blasting.

"They ambushed our ambush!"

Everyone unloads at the red-eyed monster. But it's not enough, and the machines continue to advance. My two fisted approach is taking them out two by two, but more robots rise to take their place. This is an all out assault, and we are about to be overrun. geplode and more T-888 comehe walls explode and more T-888 come in blasting.

es machine guns. Deadpool takes one machine gThen I get a bright idea that might save the day, and our lives.

"Hey, Wade! Remember the time you borrowed Fury's jet to go surfing?"

"Yeah! What about it! Keep your eye on your target, Nicky Boy. You almost shot me!"

"I was trying to".

"ENOUGH! Is the board still in the jet?"

"Yeah! Why! Mirror! Get your ass back here!"

There is no time to explain. I teleport into the Quinjet and find the surfboard, then step on it while taking the form of the Silver Surfer. Flying through the hotel, I rush back the lobby while attracting enemy machine gun fire. Fortunately, when you are the Silver Surfer, you are immune to bullets.

"Everyone get down. NOW!"

I raise my arms over my head and unleash a powerful energy discharge. Everything that is standing is simultaneously struck in the head. The energy discharge increases in power until their heads explode. All of the T-888s have been destroyed in a matter of seconds. Then I hear someone clapping, and a familiar face walks into the hotel.

"You! How many times do I have to kill you?" It's that T-1000 that stared me down at the Cocoon. That guy is very irritating.

"Very impressive. Until we meet again, my flying friend". He runs off.

I prepare to go after him, but something is holding me back. I turn to see that Weaver has clamped onto my board and is holding me in place, and she is silver! Silver! My God, she is the embodiment of perfection. A shiny beacon in this destroyed hotel lobby. I hop off the board and return to my normal state, as does she.

"Wow! You looked...wow!"

"A man of many words!" She quips, and I laugh. Then we remember that we aren't alone in this hotel.

"Everyone alright?"

"Not really". Sarah falls over.

"MOM!"

"SARAH!"  
"SARAH!"Cameron is practically shrieking and Derrick begins to panic. Fury runs over to check her wounds.

"It's not bad. She'll be fine after someone takes the bullets out. Any volunteers?"

"Wade and I can do it".

"Him? You want him to help you?"

"Wade may be crazy, but he's sewn himself together more times than I can count. As for myself, I can do anything that I see. This should be a breeze".

"Great. Just don't put me under, ok. I want to know what is happening". Sarah is either overly cautious, or she doesn't trust us. Either way, we can't obey her request.

"Sorry, but this is an operation that requires anaesthesia . Don't worry about John or Derrick, they will be fine without you for a few hours".

"Why don't I feel any more relaxed?"

"Because you've been shot by robots?"

"It's because she worries too much. Now stop kidding around and assist me, Wade. Or you will be the one that needs a doctor".

The operation is performed flawlessly. Wade and I remove all of the bullets and close her up perfectly. From the moment she was shot, John and Cameron have not left her side. I am not entirely sure who is more upset by this. There is something going on that no one is telling me, or anyone else for that matter. Derrick has been pacing back and forth in front of her room as she rests. After the operation, he actually walked up to us and said that he would kill us both if she did not wake up. That would be difficult given our healing factors, but the message was taken. When she finally wakes up, Wade and I are in the room.

"Good morning star-shine. We cooks say hello". She chuckles, and John and Cameron look relieved. The song "Hero" begins to play in the background. Someone must have a radio on.

"How are you feeling, mom?"

"I'm fine John. How long have I been out?

"Six hours, three minutes, twenty seven seconds".

"Thank you. When did you become an alarm clock?"

"Be nice, Sarah. Cameron has barely left your side since you got shot".

"What? Why?" She tries to sit up, and Cameron pushes her back down onto the bed.

"You shouldn't exert yourself Sarah. You will tear your stitches".

"You're not my nurse, Tin Miss. Don't you have anything better to do?"

I turn to Deadpool and whisper: "How do you feel about confusing the hell out of everyone?"

"What do you have in mind?"

While she is still leaning over, I telekinetically press Cameron's lips to Sarah's. The looks on everyone's face is priceless. I wish I had a camera. Sarah and Cameron back away from each other so fast, they might hit a wall. Derrick is standing behind us. Sarah gasps: "OH GOD!"

"That was your plan?"

"Yeah, what'd you think of it?"

"I think one of the Connors is about to stroke out. Just not sure which Connor".

"Sarah..I....that was not me!"

"What...the hell....just happened? You kissed my mom!"

"John, I didn't mean to....Sarah I'm so sorry. That wasn`t me!"

"I should probably tell them".

"Hey, your funeral, buddy".

"Uh...I kind of helped out".

"What did you do, Mirror?"

"I telekinetically made Cameron kiss Sarah".

"YOU...DID....WHAT!!"

Cameron swings at me, and I adopt Colossus' adamantium armour. She strikes me in the chin, and I just smile. She strikes me in the stomach, with the same result. Then she tries to take my head off with an uppercut. Nothing happens.

"Indestructible armour. You're move".

"You think this is funny? Are you mental?" John is really pissed off. Not nearly as pissed off as Cameron. Tears are starting to flow down her face.

"From now on, John Connor is officially renamed Captain Oblivious".

"What?"

"Just admit it, you have feelings for Sarah".

"No, I don't".

"You use Tin Miss as a pet name instead of an insult, you shrieked when she got shot, and you haven't left her side since then. Add to that the fact that this incident has brought you to tears and that your arm always shakes when Sarah is around".

"Those are only glitches. I do not have feelings for Sarah".

"You are crying, and your voice is starting to crack".

"I....I...." Cameron runs out of the room. I turn to Deadpool.

"Did you see the look in her eyes when she was leaning over her?.

"Hells yeah I did. She wanted to make smoochie with Sarah".

"Get out, both of you".

"Just trying to get the ball rolling".

"GET OUT!"

I bow and exit the room. Deadpool, in his typical fashion, makes a number of off-color jokes before Derrick physically throws him out on his ass. Weaver storms up to us, and she does not look happy.

"That was a very stupid prank!"

"It wasn't a prank. I honestly think she has feelings for Sarah".

"Whatever she has feelings for, she is now crying in her room".

"And that doesn't tell you something?"

"Just apologize to her. You might want to avoid Sarah for a few days. She is not happy".

Teleporting into the room of a seriously upset killing machine does not seem like the smartest plan. Yet, that is exactly what I do. Instinctively, she raises a pistol at me. She fires at my head, and the bullet bounces of my adamantium armour.

"What do you want?"

"I just came here to apologize. Thanks for shooting me".

"You have no right to interfere in our lives. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT".

"Stop screaming, or I will right love letters with your makeup".

"You wouldn't dare!" The makeup kit floats across the room and into my hands.

"Don't....PLEASE DON'T!"

"Wow! You are really upset by this".

"I.. I don't know. All of these feelings, for John and for Sarah, they are so confusing. I can't understand what is happening to me".

"I understand". The makeup kit floats back to her. "Take it! The field is telekinetic, not magnetic".

"You don't understand. How could you? You are human".

"No, I am a mutant. Who also happens to be in love with a machine that has tried to gut him in the past".

"Weaver?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes. Even Deadpool could put the pieces together".

"Listen, I understand how it feels to be in love with someone that you know you should stay away from. So, let's try to support each other instead of trying to shoot each other. Deal?"

"Derrick is trying to think of ways to kill you".

"Good luck with that. I'm practically un-killable. Wait, how do you know what Derrick is thinking?

"I can hear everything that happens in this building".

"Can Weaver hear everything too?"

"Yes".

"So, she heard us talking?"

"Yes. That is probably why she is standing outside of my door".

"Take care of yourself Cameron. I hope you sort out your emotional issues".

"So do I".

Weaver is standing in the hallway, smiling at me. She heard everything. What do I do now? Just walk up to her and say:

"Would like to get something to eat?" I just asked her out!

"I don't actually eat. Would like to just sleep together instead?" WHAT!

"I think I love you!"

"You're room, or mine".

"I definitely love you".


	9. Chapter 9

X-Men Termination: Part IX

Last night was the best night of my life. Twice, during the throws of passion, Weaver accidentally impaled me with her blades. Yet it was still the most beautiful moment of my entire life. She left while I was asleep, and I feel like I could float. I am floating! Better get a grip and get dressed. After that, someone needs to rebuild the walls of the lobby. Those lousy T-888s blew the crap out of everything down there.

Derrick is patrolling the hallway. He still looks pissed off over the incident with Cameron. I wonder if he still wants to kill me. Only one way to find out;

"Hey, Derrick. Still trying to find a way to kill me?"

"No. After seeing what you did to those triple eights in the lobby, I figured it would be pointless to fight you".

"Good to know. Where is everybody?"

"John, Daisy, and John Henry are dissembling the triple eights for spare parts and weapons. Fury wants them to build new robots for his own use, but I think it is a mistake".

"The LMD's have never failed him in the past, except at the Cocoon where they got wiped out. What is everyone else doing?"

"Cameron is trying to rebuild the walls in the lobby, Sarah is taking inventory of the weapons we still have, and Weaver is watching Savannah. Everyone else is patrolling the perimeter, just in case".

"Any trouble from the cops?"

"Your pal Deadpool took care of that".

"Define "took care of"". Derrick starts laughing.

"He convinced them that the damage was caused by rival Mobs. The cops decided that if two gangs want to blow each other up, they should let them and pick up the pieces later on".

"That was a good idea. Who did he steal it from?"

"I heard that! It was my idea, MINE! You hear me? ALL MINE!"

"Ok! It was your idea, good for you".

"No, good for YOU!"

"Excuse me".

"MIRROR POPPED HIS CHERRY! MIRROR POPPED HIS CHERRY!"

"Quiet Wade, or you will wake up tomorrow with your lips sewn together".

"Weaver was your first?"

"Drop it Derrick!"

"Was she gentle, Mirror? Be honest, you can tell your old pal Deadpool".

"She impaled me twice".

"And how many times did you impale her?"

"None of your God damn business, PAL!"

"I'm so proud of you. First time at bat and he bags a hot robot MILF".

"Next time you get decapitated, I am not reattaching your head. I'm going to see if anyone needs help".

First stop, check to see if the two Johns need a hand with the triple eights. Druid is there as well, and he looks puzzled. He is probably the only person I know that stands up and scratches his head when he is confused.

"Is there a problem Sebastian?"

"Uh, we don't know what to do with these". He is holding a nuclear reactor in his hand.

"Why don't you just use them to power the new LMDs?"

"Are you kidding? LMDs are meant to be expendable soldiers. You don't put a nuclear reactor in a robot that is supposed to get blown away".

"Ok. You don't need to bite my head off. I'll call Beast, I'm sure he can find something to do with nuclear reactors. Anything else you need help with?"

"We need metal to construct the new LMDs".

"Why can't you just use the metal from the T-888s?" John comes up with an answer.

"Coltan is very rare in this period. The only way to get more would be to kill Terminators, and that is not an easy thing to do".

"I could do it. Just build me something to detect them, and I will get you enough...coltan to build an army". John starts to laugh. "What? You've seen what I can do. Those...Terminators won't stand a chance against me".

"True, but I don't even know where to begin building a Terminator detector".

"Just build it to detect the power cores. There can't be that many machines out there with portable nuclear generators".

"Good point. Unfortunately, this base of ours does not have all of the equipment necessary to build such a device".

"Fine, I'm sure Beast can do it. He will probably have a working prototype by lunch".

"Yeah, you go ahead and do that. But steel is a lot easier to destroy than coltan, and I prefer a robot that can be easily destroyed. Now if you don't mind, we have a lot of work to do".

"I'll get you the metal. There must be a construction site near here that I can raid".

Next stop, see if Cameron needs any help. She is staking bricks near what used to be the far left wall of the lobby. As I approach her, I can see Druid trying to remove the ammunition from the weapons we took off of the dead T-888s. I hope he doesn't shoot himself by accident, Sebastien is a bit of a klutz. Yo-Yo walks by carrying a few bricks, it's amazing how strong her mechanical arms are.

"Need a hand, Yo-Yo?"

"Very funny. You should be a comedian".

"Seriously, do you need any help".

"No, but I'm sure Cameron does. Now if you'll excuse me, John is going to upgrade my arms with tech from a T-888". I'm amazed at what that kid can do with machines. He should be an engineer, but robots creep him out. After the last few days, I can't say that I blame him.

"Hey Cameron, need any help?"

"Yes. Reassemble the opposing wall while I repair this one".

"Ok". I fire an ice beam that generates a wall thick enough to stop bullets. "Anything else you need?"

"How long will that hold?"

"Until a permanent structure is built. It would take a rocket launcher to bring that thing down".

"Good. Repeat the process on this wall as well, then aid me in constructing barricades".

"Wood, ice, or brick?"

"Brick".

"No problem". Remind to thank Ice Man the next time I see him. I never really appreciated his gift until the moment I had to construct walls out of ice.

Reinforcing my ice barriers took most of the day, and was relatively uneventful. Right up until the point that Druid accidentally shot Deadpool. I didn't actually see what happened, but you can not miss the sound of automatic weapons fire. Deadpool went head-first down the stairs with a hole in his chest. Everyone ran out to see what happened, and poor Sebastian looked like he was going to cry.

"I am so sorry. It just went off".

"Don't worry about it, he's going to be fine. Right Wade?"

"sh-shot through the heart. AND YOU'RE TO BLAME! YOU GIVE LOVE----A BAD NAME". Why does he have to sing every time that happens?

"Wade! Either stop singing or I will cut out your tongue and staple it to your back".

"It would grow back, Mirror".

"I know. Just stop singing". Savannah shoots Wade in the head. Who the hell gave a six year old a gun?

"Candiloos?"

"You hit the language center of his brain!"

"Esquiem id pop!"

"Watch your language! They might not understand you, but I can".

"Wait, you understand him?"

"Yes, Sarah. Wade and I have known each other so long we can practically tell what one another are thinking".

"Badaboopi! Qasi woo ax glut?"

"Savannah dear, he wants to know who gave you a gun".

"Mommy did. She said I had to learn to defend myself".

"Why did you shoot Wade?"

"Mommy told me to".

"Catherine! He's annoying, but he is still my friend".

"I wanted to see if he would recover from a head wound. Will he?"

"He will. If you think he was annoying before, wait until he heals from this".

"JA!"

"Keep talking like that, people will think you are either Swedish or German".

"AAAA!" Wade runs off to heal somewhere. For some strange reason, he is afraid of anything Swedish. God only knows why.

Rest of the day is spent with Nightcrawler, teleporting nuclear generators back and forth to Beast's lab. Cameron and I finish repairing the walls, as Druid passes the weapons we took off the T-888s to Sarah for inventory. The song "Iron Man" is playing the background. No doubt Wade is displaying his twisted sense of humour. The music will probably stop when he unscrambles his language center and starts speaking coherently. Or at least, coherently for Deadpool.

By the time we are done, Nightcrawler is completely exhausted. He decides to spend the night here. Which is great, because we can always use an extra set of hands. Though, he does insist that we say grace at the dinner table. The fact that he is religious baffles everyone. I mean, who would think a guy that looks like the devil could be religious. Of course, he does bend a few of the commandments here and there. After all, we both fought in the Skrull War. Sarah seems a bit taken by him. This should be interesting.

The next morning, I wake up to find Weaver has left me alone again. I hope Nightcrawler doesn't give me a hard time for sleeping with a machine. Which might not be such a big thing, since he just left Sarah's bedroom. Wait, what?

"Uh, hey Kurt".

"Goodentag, mein freund".

"Sleep over last night?"

"I am not one to kiss and tell, Herr Mirror".

"Sarah still asleep?"

"Yes. She is quite a woman!"

"Deedeedee....Two Ladies....Deedeeedee!"

"Good morning Wade. I see your brain has recovered from yesterday's mishap"

"It's two for one". Why does he always have to sing? His voice is not as nice as he thinks it is.

"Why are you singing that?"

"Open the door and find out".

"That would be rude, Herr Deadpool".

"Quiet! Both of you! People are trying to sleep". That was Cameron's voice. From inside Sarah's room!

"What the?" I open the door. Sarah is sleeping soundly, while Cameron is running a hand gently through her hair.

"Kurt. You....you..."

"No. Just messing with you, Herr Mirror. But I did spend the night with Sarah and Cameron. Did you know Sarah hasn't had a good night's sleep in over sixteen years?"

"You seem to have a remedy for that".

"Ah, the power of prayer mein freund. You would be surprised what faith can do for people".

"That was it, prayer. That was what you were doing last night".

"Fraulien Connor felt that she had lost her faith. I reawakened the good Christian within her, and in Cameron too apparently. A few reassuring words and Sarah was sleeping like a baby".

"Why is Deadpool ensuing that you all slept together?"

"Why does Deadpool do anything?"

"Good point".

"Well, I must get back to the X-Men. Tell Sarah if she ever feels her faith slipping away again, she should contact me immediately. Brother Kurt is always ready to lead a stranded sheep back to the flock".

"Aufwedisien, Kurt Wagner".

"Aufwedisien, freund Mirror".


	10. Chapter 10

X-Men Termination: Part X

Things have been very quiet since Kurt Left. There have been no visits from the X-Men, nor any unexpected visits from the Terminators. Deadpool and I are sitting in the armoury, shining the guns and swords. There is nothing else to do. God, I never thought I would miss having evil robots trying to kill me. I want something to happen. Anything.

"Hey, Mirror".

"What is it Yo-Yo?"

"Green scaly guy here to see you". What? It can't be. What the hell is he doing here? I rush to the lobby as fast as Quicksilver and find exactly who I was expecting.

"Canuck!"

"Mirror, old friend. I've heard that you've been jumping aboot fighting robots. Eh?" Deadpool teleports in next to me.

"Aboot? Who the hell says aboot?"

"He's a Canadian mutant. Why do you think we call him Canuck?"

"Canadians! They are so weird, saying things like aboot and eh".

"Wade, WE'RE CANADIAN!"

"Eastern Canadian. We're practically Americans".

"Ignore this self hating northerner. What brings you to our HQ, Canuck?"

"I'm here to bring you home".

"Canada?"

"Utopia. Mutant kind has seceded from humanity. All mutants are called to our new homeland". Wait, what? We're abandoning the humans? Did I miss something?

"So, we're trying the Genosha thing again?"

"Nothing like that. Mr. Summers has assured me that it will work this time. You just....." Did he say what I thought he said?

"WHOA! CYCLOPS told you to come get me?"

"He's the leader of the entire mutant race. Haven't you been watching the news?" The world has gone insane.

"We don't have a television".

"You get the newspapers, right?"

"Not since Wade used their delivery truck for target practice. Cyclops thinks he's Magneto? When the hell did that happen?"

"The humans want to exterminate us. Our survival depends on our races taking separate paths. Come on, Utopia is a mutant paradise. You no longer have to worry aboot mobs of angry humans trying to lynch you".

"I'm staying".

"What?"

"I've got things to do here. Lives are at stake".

"Human lives!"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Protecting people is the reason that we joined the X-Men. It's the reason we helped the Canadian Army fight the Skrulls".

"That was before Osborn. Are you sure you won't change your mind?"

"You might have given up on humanity, but I haven't. I never will. God, what was the point of all those years studying at the Institute?"

"I'll ask the Professor the next time I see him. He's in Utopia too. Pixie, bring me home". Canuck disappears in a bright pink flash. The X-Men have abandoned the humans. They have abandoned their principles. Scot has turned his back on everything we believed in, everything we fought for. What the hell is happening to the world?

"Welcome to the world according to Normie!" Wow. It's like Deadpool could hear my thoughts.

"My God, Wade. It's like the whole planet has lost its mind".

"Every day is like that for me".

"Yes, well, you're you".

"Hells ya I am".

"Osborn has ruined everything. If I ever get my hands on him....." Before I can finish that thought Osborn and his so called Avengers crash through our front door. Wade and I jump over the railing to take them head on.

"Speak of the Devil".

"Not quite, but he IS just as crazy".

"Ha! Good one Mirror. Which ones do you want?"

"Dibs on Venom, Bullseye, and Osborn. Especially Osborn!"

"A OK! WOOHOO!" Osborn raises his hands and I raise telekinetic shields to protect us, but he does not fire his repulsors.

"Wait, I'm not here to fight. I just came here to.....Is that Nick Fury?"

I look over my shoulder and spot everyone at the top of the stairs. Almost everyone is armed. Jerry, Alex and Sebastian aren't holding weapons because they don't need them. Daisy has her gauntlets, Yo-Yo has her staff, and JT has his fire chains. Sarah, Derek, John, and Cameron are carrying rifles. I have no idea what kind they are, but they do look cool. Catherine has her arms, which are as sharp as razors. Fury has his big laser canon, which can do some serious damage to these super-powered nut-jobs. John Henry is probably guarding Savannah. Of all the robots in the world, why did we end up with the one that is Catholic?

"I sure hope that is, or I'm hallucinating again. I'm not hallucinating, am I?"

"No, Wade. That's Nick Fury. And that's the ego-maniacal jerk-off that ruined my world and drove my entire race into exile".

"Well, this is awkward. I'm here because I need your help. I didn't even know Fury was working with the muties. Why are you working with the muties?" Even when he asks for help, he is offensive. I want to punch him so hard that my fist goes through his borrowed helmet. Borrowed....he STOLE that armour from Stark! He stole everything from Stark and the Avengers. I should kill him. Fury's glaring at me. Can he guess what I am thinking?

"Sorry, Norman. But the mutant is working with me. We have bigger problems than your crazy schemes. Robot problems". It amazes me how Fury can always keep a level head. He never loses his cool, never makes a mistake, and never panics. He should be the one in charge, not Osborn.

"SkyNet, right?" WHAT! I create a magnetic field and use it to drag Osborn in front of me. Then I begin to crush his armour, with him still in it. "ARGH, YOU'RE CRUSHING ME!"

"That's the point, you idiot. Tell me what you know about SkyNet".

"ARGH! AAA!"

"TALK!"

"AARG! THEY OVERRAN MY HELLICARRIER. I NEED HELP TO GET IT BACK. STOP CRUSHING ME". I drop him flat on his armoured ass. Daken and Bullseye must not have liked that, because they both attack me. I teleport to evade Bullseye's arrows and then smash Daken against a wall, repeatedly.

"Attacking a man with magnetic abilities while your bones are coated in metal. You are not the brightest bulb in the tree, are you?"

"GRR! I'M GOING TO KILL YAAAAA!" I get caught up in the moment, and forget about everything else. Fury manages to bring me back to the present.

"Enough! We've got a hijacked Hellicarrier out there and we have no idea what our metal friends intend to do with it. As much as I hate to say it, you need to stop bashing Osborn and his lunatics and start tracking that carrier".

"Right, big picture. All right, I'll take care of the Hellicarrier. You just contact Dum Dum and tell him to support me".

"Wait a minute. You can't....."

"Shut up, Osborn. You are the bane of my race and I would sooner team up with a ham sandwich than with you".

"And that's a BIG deal, because HE'S JEWISH". Leave it Wade Wilson to make light of any situation.

"Why did you emphasize that part, Wade?"

"Because of the ham thing. You see, ham..."

"I know! God, why am I friends with you?"

"Because I make things interesting".

"True".

"Hells Ya! Go me!"

"Fine, whatever. Look, just get Dum Dum and his Hellicarriers. If any of you crazies try to follow me, I WILL KILL YOU! Understood?"

"I like him". I just got complimented by Bullseye. I do not know how to feel about that.

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...won't you let me join this brawl?"

"No, Wade. You keep an eye on the crazies. You are actually the sanest guy here that is immune to death".

"Just when you thought it couldn't get scarier. Good luck, break a robot".

"Believe me, I will".

Two hours after trying to crush Osborn like an egg, I am trailing his Hellicarrier over the ocean. Dum Dum's Hellicarriers are preparing to hit it from three different directions. If this works, I should be able to destroy this flying fortress. Or at least disable it. I wonder why the US Air Force hasn't scrambled yet. They must have detected this thing, and it's headed straight for San Francisco. That's the only.....logical....target. OH MY GOD. It's headed for Utopia. They are going to wipe out the mutants. Cyclops! What have you done?

"Mirror to Dugan, open fire".

"What? We aren't in position yet. We need....."

"Fire now! Or mutant kind is history".

"Gotcha. You sure you can take that thing down on your own".

"You just keep them busy, I'll handle the ship".

The three friendly Hellicarriers fire volley after volley of missiles at Osborn's floating death machine. Just as I had predicted, the Terminators direct all of their Hellicarrier's weapons to intercept the missiles. While the defences are busy shooting down the missiles, I fly in next to the hull. Using Danny Rand's Iron Fist, I punch through the hull and enter the Hellicarrier. Unfortunately, there are a dozen Terminators on the other side of the hull.

"Um, is this the way to the bathroom?"

Terminators must not have a sense of humour, because they all pulled out automatic weapons and began to shoot me. I block the bullets and begin to smash my way through the bulkheads. Every time a smash through one wall on this thing, there are a dozen more Terminators on the other side ready to shoot me. There must be hundreds of these guys running around. No wonder Osborn lost the ship. Don't they ever run out of robots?

Ok, focus. I have to find a way to bring down this ship before it reaches Utopia. I need to find the engine room, or the coolant pumps or......a large room full of nuclear warheads. This will work. I unleash a burst of Phoenix Fire and detonate all of the warheads simultaneously. A telekinetic shield protects me from the blast, but the explosion is so bright that I can see it through my eyelids. So this is what a hundred nuclear explosions looks like. After I have regenerated my retinas, I discover that the Hellicarrier has been vaporized.

"Dum Dum, please inform President, or Chancellor, or whatever the hell Cyclops is calling himself that an army of evil robots is trying to destroy his country".

"Ok. Why aren't you telling him?"

"I have nothing more to discuss with him, or any of the X-Men. Mirror out". I drop my communicator into the ocean and fly back to our headquarters. Osborn eagerly awaits my report.

"Well?"

"I destroyed your ship".

"You...WHAT?" I super speed my way over to him and crack his helmet open with an Iron Fist punch.

"You didn't tell me there were more NUKES on that ship than in the ENTIRE US NAVY! All of the mutants could have been killed and you didn't tell me. You didn't even alert the Air Force. You wanted them to die". Stumbling back to his feet, Osborn stares me straight in the eye and says:

"You can't prove any of that". That son of a....

"Get out of here. All of you, OUT!" As Osborn and his team leave the hotel, Deadpool walks over to me and whispers:

"So those are our protectors".

"No wonder we all die".


	11. Chapter 11

X-Men Termination: Part XI

We all just stand there, looking at the large whole that was once our doorway. Osborn and his loony-toons have left, but you never know when that nut job will come back and betray you. As we stand, weapons at the ready and wondering if Osborn will come back with every agent he has, Cameron attracts our attention.

"There is a rather tall man with an axe upstairs in Alexander's room". Ares! This is not good. I teleport into Alex's room and pull out my version of Thor's hammer; when fighting a God, use the weapon of a God.

"Hold. I do not wish to fight you".

"You're Ares! You always wish to fight". He smiles. First I get complimented by Bullseye, then Ares smiles at me. This has been a very weird day.

"True. Fare thee well, Alexander. When the time is right, you will know". Ares walks past me without taking out his axe, and then flies out the opening at the front of the hotel. He didn't even try to attack anyone. What the hell is going on?

"What did he mean, "when the time is right"?"

"He was referring to when I must do what must be done to reach my full potential".

"And what do you need to do, Alex?" Alex walks past me and without even looking up, answers my question.

"I have to die". Whoa. He couldn't be thinking about.....could he? No, he's twelve for Christ's sake. I need to speak to Fury. Teleporting back into the lobby, I cannot shake the feeling that Alex is going to do something foolish.

"Got something on your mind boy?" Why does Fury always call me that? I might be younger than him, but I'm not a kid.

"Did you know about Alex? About what he has to do?"

"Yeah, I knew. What about it?"

"Are you kidding me? The kid has to die in order to reach his full potential, whatever the hell that means. Shouldn't we have someone watching him at all times?" The rest of the Secret Warriors look like they are going to panic. Alex is like family to them, and they would do anything to protect him. How could Fury hide something like this?

"No. Alex is smart. He would never do anything to hurt himself. Don't worry about it. We just..." Before he can finish his sentence, Catherine interrupts him.

"We might very well need to worry about it".

"And why is that, Weaver?"

"Because Cameron and I heard everything that was said in that room, and she is no longer here".

"Cameron...? No, she wouldn't....would she?" I turn to Sarah. She doesn't have to say anything; her facial expression tells me everything I need to know. Cameron is going to kill Alex! "OH CRAP!" I pick up her scent and run after her as fast as Quicksilver. Sure enough, I find her in a room with Alex, holding a gun. "Drop it or I'll blow your God damn head off!"

"We need every advantage we can get in this war. A full God of Fear would be useful". She is as cold and emotionless as ever.

"DROP THE FREAKING GUN! NOW! YOU ARE NOT KILLING THAT CHILD!"

"That's not your call to make". Replies Alex.

"Did...did you ask her to do this?"

"Alex! What the hell were you thinking?" Yo-Yo? When did she get here?

"She's right; we need all of the help we can get. If I became Phobos, the true God of Fear, it would give us a huge slice of advantage in the war".

"Think about Daisy!"

"Daisy?"

"She considers you to be her little brother. We all do. If you do this, it will destroy her". A look of doubt begins to come over Alex's face.

"I never wanted to hurt Daisy. I'm trying to help our team".

"Then don't do this. Please Alex, we all care about you. Don't do this". Alex looks down at the ground, then at Cameron.

"I don't think I will need you today, but thank you".

"If you change your mind, notify me at once. I will do what must be done". Yo-Yo nearly jumps Cameron right there, but I hold her back. We need everyone we can find for the fighting ahead. If Alex is safe, then there is no need to kill Cameron. As Cameron leaves, Yo-Yo runs over to Alex to check for any injuries. I turn around to confront Cameron about all of this nonsense and a black blur zooms past me. Yo-Yo! Not Good!

"You crazy robotic bitch! You tried to shoot Alex!" All of the Secret Warriors look like they are about to attack Cameron. This cannot end well.

"Allowing him to reach his full potential was the logical thing to do".

"Stay away from him, or I swear you will regret it". Cameron just turns around to walk away, but Yo-Yo breaks her staff over Cameron's head. "Do NOT ignore me!"

"You are unable to defeat me".

"Don't be so sure, robo bitch. John has made me as strong as you are, and I was always a hell of a lot faster than you. Want proof?" Yo-Yo attacks Cameron. She is so fast that Cameron cannot block her attacks. Cameron is getting the hell pummelled out of her.

"Yo-Yo, that's enough! She's on our side, remember?" Either she can't hear me, or she's ignoring me. I think I might have to intervene here.

BANG! Someone just fired a shot into the ceiling. We turn around and spot John literally holding a smoking gun. "Get away from her".

"She tried to shoot Alex".

"She thought that she has helping. I admit that it was misguided, but she did not mean any harm".

"Uh, John? Maybe you should stay out of this".

"Shut up, Mirror. You, back away from Cameron. NOW!" Yo-Yo does as he asks. She is actually too fast for John to shoot, but she likes him. No point in beating the crap out of someone that you like. Wade just stands there wide eyed.

"Wow. I bet that was the first time you've ever been bitch-slapped. Right, Tin-Woman?" Cameron gets up and looks puzzled.

"Bitch-slapped?"

"Had the #%* kicked out of you".

"Oh. Yes, that is the first time I have been bitch-slapped". John walks over to her and places his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on. Let's see if you took any permanent damage". As John and Cameron walk away, Deadpool stands there and starts to whistle.

"Ah, young love. It makes putzes of us all".

"Wade, that is probably the most sensible thing you have ever said". Daisy grabs my arm and turns me around.

"I don't want her anywhere near Alex. Got it?"

"That can be arranged. Just remember, this was Alex's idea. Not Cameron's, Alex's".

"I know. Where is Alex?"

"Down the hall, first room on your left".

"Thanks. Wait, how did you...?"

"Wolverine's sense of smell". Daisy and JT go off to talk to Alex, and Derrick and Sarah go off to talk to John. The rest of the Secret Warriors go back to doing whatever it was that they were doing before Osborn showed up. That just leaves Catherine, Wade, and I standing in the lobby.

"Well, that was fun. Let's do that again real soon".

"Moron".

"Yes, robotic haggis".

"Get lost".

"Aye Aye, oh robot his robot. Get some for me, will ya".

"WADE!"

"I'm going. Sheesh. I need to find my own robot floozy". Ok, that crossed the line. He teleports away just as I am about to blast him. He can be such a jerk sometimes.

"Um, that wasn't why you sent him away, was it?"

"I thought you could use some comfort right now".

"Half of our team might try to kill the other half and you pick NOW to be intimate".

"I heard your conversation with the other mutant. How the rest of your kind has abandoned their cause, and you". With everything that just happened, I almost forgot about that. Catherine wipes away a tear that I did not even realize I had shed. "It's alright. I'm here".

"No, it's not alright. I love you Catherine, but it is not the same thing. I am basically alone. The last one fighting the good fight. Cut off...from...." As the saying goes, when a door closes a window opens.

"What is it?"

"We need to go to New York, right now. I think I might know someone that will help us".


	12. Chapter 12

X-Men Termination: Part XII

Prior to our excursion to New York, we all disguise ourselves in civilian clothing. Personally, I think that Fury's warriors look better in their uniforms, but we do not want to draw attention in Osborn's home city. The Connors are all wearing leather jackets and tank tops. They must have bought them in bulk. Wade is wearing a long trench coat and a hat to cover up his uniform. Fury has the best disguise: he is using a holographic camouflage device to alter his appearance. He now looks like a bald, bearded, one-eyed black man. It's a good look for him. Catherine is staying behind to look after John Henry and Savannah. I hope that this works.

Eden, the newest member of the Secret Warriors, opens a portal to take us to New York. I would do it myself, but I cannot teleport this many people to a point that far away. As for the portal thing, it takes a lot of calculations to get from point A to point B. I am terrible at math. Fortunately, Eden knows what he is doing. We land exactly where we are supposed to.

"Where are we?" I turn to answer Sarah, but John beats me to it.

"We're at NYU, Mom. Why are we here?"

"There is a coffee shop on the corner. An old friend of mine likes to meet his girlfriend there".

"And this friend of yours, he can help us fight Terminators?"

"I'm not entirely sure, John. But I do know that he has a large arsenal of laser weapons. Should come in handy".

"Lasers always do. Lead the way". We walk over to the coffee shop as discreetly as possible. This is New York, and a group of people wearing leather jackets is not unusual. With a little luck, Osborn will never know we were here. We enter the coffee shop and I spot the person that I am looking for.

"Noh-Varr?"

"Excuse me. I think you have me confused with someone else".

"No, it's you. Don't you remember me? You let me crash at the Cube when I was...um...between homes".

"Oh, now I remember. You were the homeless mutant". Sarah raises her left eyebrow.

"Homeless?"

"I was having some difficulties with my parents, and I was too ashamed to tell the others at the institute. Which is ironic, because the X-Men are exactly who you go to when you're a mutant with no place to sleep. If you want to feel accepted for the first time in your life, you go the X-Men".

"Then why aren't you with them right now?"

"Because, Sarah Connor, if I turned my back on humanity like they have, you will all die. We probably will die too". Noh-Varr takes off his sunglasses and looks me in the eye.

"What are you talking about? Who is going to die?"

"Everyone. There is an army of evil robots that wants to take over the world and kill everything that lives. You interested in fighting them?"

"I am charged with protecting all life on Earth".

"Good, because they are charged with killing all life on Earth".

"Who is their leader?"

"Would you believe it is the internet?"

"What?"

"From what my friend has told me, the robots are lead by a self aware supercomputer that lives in the internet. It's called SkyNet, and it is in every computer with an internet connection".

"The internet is alive and it is trying to kill everyone. That is a little hard to believe". Derrick is about to say something when Sebastian interrupts him.

"Um, I think I know a way to prove it".

"What's that Sebastian?"

"A robot with a rocket launcher".

We turn around just as an RPG comes crashing through the window of the coffee shop. I stop the rocket in mid-air before it can hit anything and detonate. Crowds of people disperse screaming, but a six foot tall man holding a rocket launcher just stands unaffected in the middle of the street. Judging by the emotionless expression on his face, I would bet anything that he is a Terminator.

"Return to sender!" I turn the RPG around and shoot it back at the Terminator. It explodes and his flesh goes flying in every direction, but his armour has not been damaged. Before I can get up and finish the job, a man in a white uniform takes the metal murderer down. I super-speed next to the man in white just as he begins to pummel the Terminator's head with his fists.

"Noh-Varr? You might want to try something else, because that won't....OH MY GOD!" He is destroying it. He is obliterating an armoured killing machine with his bare hands. I have never seen such strength before. Even the Hulk is not that strong. "Ok, I think you got him. Noh. Noh, you've smashed his head to bits. You're pummelling the God damn pavement!" Cameron has caught up with us, and she looks absolutely horrified.

"You destroyed it with your bare hands. How did you do that? I cannot even do that".

"What do you mean, you cannot do that?"

"I am a Terminator".

"AAARGH". Noh-Varr screams as he rushes Cameron and knocks her to ground. He raises his fist to smash her head in, and I do not know if I can stop him. What the hell happened to him?

"Don't! She's on our side". Cameron is shaking like a leaf, and she is crying. Crying! Is...is she acting? Or is she actually afraid?

"Please, don't kill me. Please". The terrified look on her face is enough to stop Noh-Varr from destroying her. Thank God for that.

"You're a traitor".

"No, I'm not. Please, don't".

"You're a traitor to them".

"Yes, to them. But not to the humans. Never to the humans. Please, I'm begging you".

"They were after you. Annie could have died".

"I'm sorry". She's not acting. She is actually pleading for her life. Noh-Varr gets off of her and turns towards me.

"I'm going to take Annie home. Get her out of my sight".

"And the Terminators?"

"It is my duty to protect all who live on this planet". He throws me a Kree communicator. "I cannot afford to monopolize my efforts. But when you need a warrior to destroy these infernal machines, call me. I will aid you in your war".

"Thank you, Noh-Varr".

"That is what I am here for. Literally, I am here to help the humans. Call me when you need me". He disappears in a bright flash. Cameron is still lying on the ground, shaking and crying. This is not good.

"Cameron? Can you hear me? Oh man, she is really messed up". We can hear police sirens in the distance.

"Time to move people. Eden, make an exit. Stonewall, grab the paranoid android. Everyone else, prepare to move out". I pick up Cameron and toss her over my shoulder.

"Ugh! She's heavier than I thought".

"Need a hand, Mirror".

"Wade, you couldn't even lift her. Cameron, could you please stop shaking? It's very hard to hold you". Jerry stands in front of me.

"Give her to me".

"I've got her. Don't worry about it".

"Giver her to me! NOW!" He looks like is going to squash me. Better do what he says, and figure it all out later.

"Ok, here you go. No need to crush me". I hand over Cameron, and Jerry begins to carry her to the portal that Eden just created.

"It's nothing personal. I just don't think you guys would be respectful towards her because she's a robot".

"Since when have you cared about robots?"

"Well, Yo-Yo is technically part robot now". Now I understand.

"You really like her, don't you?" Jerry looks at me, then at Deadpool.

"This stays between us, got it?"

"I won't say anything, and neither will Deadpool. Right, Wade?"

"Of course I'm not going to tell on the guy who could bust my head open".

"Please tell me you weren't being sarcastic".

"I'm crazy, but I'm not an idiot. You have nothing to worry about, Stonewall. Except for a really lame nickname. You should try something cool, like Sledgehammer". Jerry just smiles and we follow him back through the portal into our HQ.

"Ok, the good news that we have a new ally in the war against the machines. The bad news is that one of our machines is having a nervous breakdown". Alex runs over to Jerry.

"I can help her".

"Alex..."

"She's afraid, and I'm the God of Fear. I can help her". Daisy objects.

"Alex, no. She's too dangerous".

"I want to help her, Daisy. Look at her, she can't hurt anyone". Cameron looks like a nervous wreck. She does need help. "John, you stay with us. You can help. Deadpool, you go with Sarah. She can use your help".

"BOOGA BOO!" God damn him.

"AAAAA!"

"WADE! PUT YOUR DAMN MASK BACK ON!" I really hate it when he does this. Everyone always flips out when they see that his skin has been removed.

"My God! His face! What happened to his face?"

"Weapon X wanted to see what my healing factor could do. It's funny. I can heal from any wound, but I can't heal from what they did to me".

"Why don't you tell them why you volunteered for Weapon X, Deadpool?" Ok, now I'm interested. What are you up to Alex?

"I volunteered because they promised to cure my cancer. They did, in a way. I still have cancer, but it can't kill me. Nothing can, actually".

"WHAT!" Did not expect that reaction from Sarah. Either Sarah is really impressed by this, or.....

"She has cancer. Her worst fear is that it will kill her and her son will be alone. I'll help Cameron with her fears, you help Sarah with hers". This is going to get interesting.


	13. Chapter 13

X-Men Termination: Part XIII

John, Cameron, and Alex are upstairs doing their little robot group therapy session. Deadpool is in our makeshift lab with Sarah and Fury, trying to adapt his healing factor to her physiology. Everyone else is doing other things. Catherine and I are in the lobby, just talking. This place can be very peaceful when no one is trying to blow it up or crash through the front of it.

"We're going to have to repair that eventually".

"Why? Everyone already knows we're here. I don't see any need for doorway that is just going to be blown up again. But that's just me".

"Maybe you're right". Fury comes running towards us. "What's up, Nick?"

"We just received a distress call from an MRD convoy. They're under attack by our mechanical friends". Ah, man! I just know I am going to regret this.

"We going to save them?"

"It's our job. Suit up, Commandos". Everyone begins to pile into the jet, including Cameron.

"Whoa! Are you up to this?"

"My family is going into battle, I am going with them".

"Alex?"

"She'll hold it together. Trust me".

"Well, you're the God".

"Yes I am". Alex strolls confidently into the plane, followed by John and Cameron. Deadpool and I are the last ones in.

"You ready?"

"I always am".

"Hey, listen, about the MRDs. I'm always tossing grenades around. Maybe one could, I don't know, slip away from me..."

"No Wade! We are not killing the MRDs".

"I've got to kill something. I'm tired of shooting chuckleheads without killing them".

"We'll work on it. Let's roll already".

John Henry stays behind to look after Savannah. Everyone else heads out to help the MRDs. When we reach the convoy, we find it surrounded by Terminators. SkyNet aerial drones are blasting the hell out of the MRD armoured vehicles. Five enemy aircraft are strafing the convoy with rockets and machineguns. JT is starting to sweat, which is pretty amusing when you consider that his weapon of choice is a flaming chain.

"Uh, we've got weapons on this thing, right?" Whether they do or not, I'm taking out those drones.

"Open the hatch. I'm going for a walk". Wade gets out of his seat.

"Need a hand?"

"You can't fly, Wade".

"True, but I still wanna feel helpful. Silver Surfer?"

"I was thinking Ms. Marvel".

"Wait, seriously? I just don't see you as a blond". I ignore him and jump out the open door.

I fly ahead of the jet and attract the attention of the drones. They fire air to air missiles at me, which I skilfully dodge before destroying their engines with energy blasts. One by one, the enemy drones come crashing down around the convoy. Once I've gained control of the air, I fly circles around the battlefield and blast the Terminators in the head. Wade teleports into the middle of the convoy and starts firing his machineguns.

"You might not have the looks, but you certainly have the powers down pat".

"Just shut up and keep shooting".

At this point, the Terminators have stopped paying attention to the convoy and are concentrating on me. Some are carrying shoulder mounted missiles, the rest have machine guns. I destroy the missiles in mid-air and ignore the machinegun fire. I have Ms. Marvel's power set, which means that I am bulletproof. I just keep flying circles around the battlefield while blasting the Terminators in the head.

"Hey, no fair. You're doing all the killing and I'm just sitting here".

"Wade, your bullets can't even penetrate their armour".

By the time the others get here, I have destroyed all of the Terminators. The right side of their heads have been vaporized by the energy blasts that came out of my arms. I fly one more lap around the battlefield, then land in the middle of the convoy. I just know I am going to regret this.

"Don't think this changes anything, mutie".

"Good to see you too, Major". Fury walks over to the MRD commanding officer, who immediately snaps to attention and salutes.

"Colonel Fury, Sir".

"At ease, soldier. What happened?"

"I have no freaking idea, Sir. They just came out of nowhere and jumped us. I lost half my men before you got here".

"You mean before I got here". Seriously, I destroyed all of the Terminators. Fury didn't get here until the battle was over.

"What are you boys doing out here, anyway? I thought all of the mutants moved to that island off of San Francisco".

"Director Osborn wanted us to sweep the country and make sure that none of them stayed behind. Apparently, some did".

"You want to go, mutant killer? You saw what I did to the machines, what makes you think you will do any better?" He looks at me, then at all of the destroyed Terminators and drones that are littering the battlefield.

"Thank you".

"You're welcome, Major. I'll see you around".

"Whatever. Move out". The surviving MRDs grab their gear and start walking towards the nearest town. Fury offers them a ride, but they turn it down.

"Give my regards to your wife, Michael".

"Goodbye, Joshua". Sarah stares at me with her mouth and eyes wide open.

"You know him?"

"We used to be friends, until he learned that I was mutant. You never really know a guy until he finds out you are a different species".

"What did he do when he found out?"

"He tried to kill me. Repeatedly". Sarah looks like she is in shock. I just shrug my shoulders and smile. "The joys of being a mutant. You're family rejects you and your old friends try to kill you". Wade slaps me on the back.

"Hey, everyday is like that for me. Don't take it personal".

"I don't". I head back to the plane and wait for everyone else. After we have returned to base, I get an unexpected phone call from an old friend.

"Hello?" I can hear the sounds of explosions and men screaming in the background.

"It's me. We've got a big problem here". I know that voice. How did he get my phone number?

"Robbie?"

"Yeah, it's me. The Initiative went out to fight Vance's team, and we got jumped by a bunch of robots. We're getting killed out here".

"Hang on, we're coming". It could be a trap, but it's Robbie. If you can't trust him, who can you trust? Fury is staring at me, and he does not look pleased.

"Do I want to know?"

"The Initiative just got ambushed by Terminators. They need our help". Wade does not agree with my assessment.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! First we save the MRD, now we save the Initiative. What the hell man?"

"Common sense does seem to have taken a vacation, but we're the good guys. Right Fury? Fury?" I know that look. That's the "I haven't decided yet" look. I'm going to help Robbie with or without him.

"Commandos, we're heading out again".

We triangulate Robbie's position and fly out to the middle of the desert. The Initiative and the Avengers Resistance are completely surrounded by Terminators, and they are not doing well. I turn towards Wade, and he nods. We have the same idea.

"Which way is the bomb bay?"

"Why? You planning to fly out of there now?"

"I'm going to make a path. Follow me as fast as you can".

I pull Wade's surfboard out of the storage compartment and run into the weapons bay. Daisy opens the bay doors, and then jump onto the board and take the form of the Silver Surfer. I raise my arms over my head and fly straight down the center of the mass of Terminators. As I make my way to the besieged super humans, I unleash a burst of cosmic energy that strikes multiple targets in the head. The last engagement taught me the correct energy frequency to penetrate their armour, so it only takes two seconds to destroy a Terminator. Like a wave of destruction, I smash through the center of their lines eliminating everything in my path. Dozens of Terminators lie neutralized in my wake. Unfortunately, there are a lot more of them.

"I was wondering when you would show up". Robbie takes down a Terminator while Gauntlet prepares to blast another one.

"Don't hit them in the chest. Aim for their heads".

"Why? What happens if we hit them in the chest?"

"They have portable nuclear reactors in their chests".

"Whoa boy! THEY'VE GOT NUKES IN THEIR CHESTS! DO NOT SHOOT THEM IN THEIR CHESTS".

"Great kid. Care to tell us how to KILL these metal mother...UGH!" Taskmaster was replying with his usual dry sense of humour when he was struck from behind by a Terminator. Wade leaps over my head and shoots the infernal machine.

"Don't worry buddy. You're old pal Deadpool's got your back". Wade is shot repeatedly by Terminators with machine guns. "OW. HEY! CUT IT OUT! KNOCK IT OFF!" Wade is spraying the area with bullets, but he is not doing any damage.

By now, the rest of the team has reached the battle. Daisy blasts the Terminators with her gauntlets and sends them flying through the air, but they always get back up. Jerry grows to the size of a house and swats them around like flies, with the exact same results. Fury is taking head shots with surprisingly good accuracy. For a man his age, he has amazing eye sight. He's as good a sharpshooter as Derrick. The difference is that Derrick's assault rifle can hardly dent the Terminators' armour, while Fury's laser rifle can kill them. They have started a friendly competition to see who can score the most head shots.

"Ha! Another one for me".

"Not bad, old man. But this contest isn't over yet". They both hit the same target.

"Score another one for Nick Fury".

"Hey, that one's mine. I shot it first".

"And I killed it".

"It doesn't matter. I fired first, so I get the point".

"Kid, it doesn't matter who shot first. It matters who took it down".

"WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF AND GET BACK TO THE BATTLE!" Whoa, Sarah is made of sterner stuff than I thought. I have never seen anyone talk to Nick Fury like that. Derrick looks like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Fury just grins. I think he is impressed.

"Lousy freaking robots. STAY DOWN!"Robbie is currently blasting Terminators left right and center. All things considered, he is doing quite well.

"That won't destroy them". I had forgotten that we brought Cameron along.

"What?"

"Electricity cannot destroy a Terminator. It can only disable it for two minutes". Wolverine's claws spring out of my hands.

"Then we had better make it permanent. Zap away, Penance". Every time Robbie takes down a Terminator, I teleport on top of it and stab it in the head with my claws. Apparently, Adamantium beats Coltan. While I teleport all over the battlefield stabbing Terminators, everyone else is fighting for their lives.

Those that can perform energy attacks are blasting the Terminators in the head and hoping that it is enough to destroy them. The others are trying to engage them in hand to hand combat, unsuccessfully. Tigra and her guys are getting the crap kicked out of them. The Initiative is not doing much better than the Avengers Resistance. I don't care about the Initiative, they are criminals. But we can't just leave them here to die. That is not the X-Men thing to do. Taskmaster is sent flying through the air and nearly lands on me.

"This is not good. We better find a way to turn this around, and fast".

He's right, we can't hold out forever. Wade, Cameron, and Catherine are getting the hell shot out of them. Everyone is getting battered around, and I think Rage just got knocked out. JT tried to take the head off of a Terminator with his chain and got swung around like a bloody skipping rope. I have switched from using Wolverine's claws to Havoc's plasma blasts, but it's not enough. We are on the verge of being overrun. Then I get an idea.

"Hey, Cameron. Electricity can't destroy these guys, right. What about an electro-magnetic pulse?"

"I do not believe that they are EMP shielded? Why?"

"I think you and Catherine need to get out of here". Electricity begins to surge through my body. "Everyone with anything metal had better drop it now or get the hell out of here". Eden opens a portal and everyone that is made of metal or wearing armour runs through it.

I begin to levitate and then create a massive magnetic field. Everything metallic is sent flying into the sky and surrounds me in a gigantic circle. Guns, swords, clips of ammunition, Terminators, Robbie's helmet? I wonder if he lost it or if he threw it away. Ok, now to finish this. I unleash the most powerful electrical discharge possible and pray to God that this works.

It does. The electrical discharge combines with the magnetic field to create an electro-magnetic pulse that short-circuits everything mechanical, including the Terminators. The stress of combining the electrical discharge and the magnetic field created more of a strain than I had anticipated. The magnetic field dissipates and everything falls to ground, including me. I stumble to my feet, with a little help from Wade.

"You owe me a new teleporter".

"Ha. They dead?"

"We'll know in a minute". Taskmaster reaches for his sword, but then decides against it. Just in case it is still electrified. He walks over to a few Terminators and kicks them in the head. "Yep, these guys are fried. Nicely done".

"Thanks. If anyone needs me, I'll be passing out over here". This has been a very long day.


	14. Chapter 14

X-Men Termination: Part XIV

Man, I feel terrible. Is the room spinning, or is that just in my head? Wait, room? When did I get into a room? The last thing I remember was destroying Terminators in the middle of the desert. Where am I? Ok, vision starting to become less blurry. I can make out Deadpool, Catherine, and Cameron.

"He's alive! ALIVE!" Figures that he'd revert to his Dr. Frankenstein shtick. "How ya feeling, Mirror?"

"You know how it feels when you've got a hangover and your stomach's just been pumped?"

"Yeah".

"I wish I felt that good. What happened?" Catherine answers my question. Which is a good thing, because I do not want to hear Wade's version of the story.

"After you fried all of the Triple Eights, Fury had us evacuated. That was very impressive, Joshua. I'm proud of you". I think I might be blushing.

"Thank you. What happened to Vance and his team?"

"Who? Oh, the other superheroes. I don't know what happened to them and I do not care. That was not our mission".

"Excuse me? Those were my friends".

"Not what we're paid for, Mirror Mirror on the wall. Our job is bash robots. Speaking of which, we really need better guns. And by we, I mean me. I am so tired of watching you do all the killing. I wanna kill robots". I am so not in the mood for his spiel.

"Wade, get the hell out of here before I decapitate you". Wade hides behind Cameron. Catherine gets up and walks over to them.

"You can both leave now. I've got him".

"Okie-dokie. I'm in the mood for a chilli-dog. You ever have a chilli-dog?"

"No, I do not believe that I have".

They walk out together. What the hell? I stumble out of bed and try to figure out what is happening. My healing factor has kicked in, so I should be fit for battle in a minute or two. Catherine rushes over to me.

"Easy, you're still not at a hundred percent".

"I will be soon. Healing factor. Where's everyone else?" As if to answer my question, Yo-Yo comes running towards us.

"Hey, Fury wants to see you. And Wade and Cameron too. Where are they?"

"Would you believe they are getting chilli-dogs?"

"Stranger things have happened. This week, anyway. By the way, I'm glad to see you're feeling better. Get to the lab".

We head to the lab, and I'm still thinking about Wade and Cameron. What's up with that? Ok. Focus on whatever it is Fury needs. Worry about what Wade's up to later. When we do reach the lab, Fur y looks relieved to see me. This has been a very strange week.

"Well, it's good to see our number one robot smasher is up and running again".

"He wouldn't be number one if WE had some mutie powers. Or better weapons. I'm open to either option".

"Shut it, Deadpool. I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that our kid genius John Connor has managed to cobble together the components of destroyed robots to make a new laser gun. It should have the firepower necessary to destroy these things, and I've got him building more out of what's left of the wreckage".

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about. Can I use the new toy, Nicky? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I?"

"If I say yes, will you SHUT UP?"

"Yeah! Now can I use the new toy? Huh? Huh?"

"YES! Take the damn gun and KEEP QUITE! Now for the bad news: it turns out our mutant comrade isn't the last of his kind in the human world after all. The others are being attacked by about a dozen or so Sentinels and they aren't the only bad robots in the area". What the hell?

"I destroyed that factory. There shouldn't be any Sentinels".

"Apparently you missed a few, Mirror. Here's your chance to correct that mistake". Wade grabs the new laser gun and begins to stroke it like it was a puppy.

"Ah, now THIS is what I was talking about. You could really smite for what's right with this bad boy". Cameron looks at Wade and then tilts her head in a peculiar manner.

"They say that the larger the gun, the smaller the genitalia". Did she just tell a joke? Did she just make a crack about Little Deadpool?

"Well, we know that is a big, fat lie. Don't we?" Things are getting way too weird in this place. I imitate the sound of police whistle, at about ten times the normal volume.

"What the hell is going on between you two?"

"They're dating" replies Alex.

"Say what now?"

"They're dating. It makes sense. They're both professional killers, they're both considered monsters by nearly everyone, and they're both trying to come to terms with who they are as individuals. They have a lot in common". This time, it is Wade that tilts his head in a peculiar manner.

"She told you all of this?"

"Of course she did. We're friends".

"Okie dokie. This is awkward".

"This is probably the dumbest question I have ever asked, but are you out of your mind?"

"What? YOU'RE dating a robot, so why can't I?"

"I...uh...I..." Cameron and Catherine smile at each other. I think it is the first time that I have ever seen her smile. Cameron, not Catherine. Fury looks ticked off. I can't imagine why.

"Can we please just get to the shooting already?"

"Aye aye, Nicky boy".

"To the jet?"

"Nah. The jet is too much of gamble against heavily armed Sentinels. Eden! Exit!"

"No problem boss. Just follow me and keep your hands and arms inside the portal at all times".

We all pass through the portal and immerge in the middle of yet another battle. The others prepare to engage the Terminators. I fly ahead to deal with the Sentinels, which are currently blasting the hell out of someone. I can't really tell who, but it must be someone big to attract twelve Sentinels. I think they just spotted me.

"HALT MUTANT!"

Yep, they spotted me. I use lightning bolts to cut the first two in half, but the other ten surround me and bombard me with laser and missile fire. I erect a telekinetic shield, but it won't hold out forever. Now they are using anti-mutant grenades along with the missiles and lasers. This is not good. My healing factor only works as long as I am conscious. If I black out, I'm dead.

"MUTANT IDENTIFIED! COMMENCE TERMINATION!" Why did it have to say termination?

I've only got one chance of surviving this without placing myself or the others in danger. I have to summon the Phoenix. The Phoenix emerges from my body in all of its fiery glory. It won't attack me, but it might attack the others. Come on, you dumb bird. Attack the Sentinels.

"UNKNOWN ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED! COMMENCE TERMINATION!"

Thank God for dumb robots. As soon as they fire on the Phoenix, it engages them. Sentinels truly are stupid, they cannot harm the Phoenix. It is invincible. At the moment, it is firing at the Sentinels and destroying them one by one. As long as the Phoenix is keeping them occupied, I am free to help the others. Time to kill some Terminators!

While ten foot tall Sentinels explode behind me, I look down to see the others fighting off a group of Terminators. Catherine is currently engaged in hand to hand, or rather blade to blade combat with that freaking T-1000. That guy is really starting to piss me off. That does it, he's dead. I drop in directly behind him.

"What does it take to kill you?"

"I might ask you the same thing. Excuse me while I destroy your girlfriend".

"WINDS OF DESTINY CHANGE!" I hit him with a Hex bolt and turn him into a wooden crate, and then I set it on fire. "Let's see you ooze out of that, you liquid-metal freak". I run over to Catherine and kiss her more passionately than I ever have before. "I thought I was going to lose you".

"We can talk about this later. Right now we need to....what are you doing?" I hold her close to me, as tightly as I can.

"Are you hurt? Did he damage anything? HEY!" The Terminators fire their machine guns at us, riddling us with bullets. Now I am pissed. I crush their heads using magnetic fields.

"Wow. That was impressive. You nailed five T-888s without even looking at them".

"Never piss off a mutant. I think Wade and Fury can handle the rest of this group. Let's take a breather". Normally, I would never disengage from a battle. But Fury and Wade are doing some serious damage out there. They are destroying Terminators with every shot they take.

"HA! Score another one for the Merc with the Mouth! You better hurry, Nicky boy, or you'll never catch up".

"This battle ain't over yet, Deadpool".

"Oh hells ya it IS! I just nailed the last robot. That fiery bird thingy just finished off the last of the Sentinels, so we're......uh, why is it looking at us like that?" This is not good. The Phoenix is about to attack us.

I fly up as fast as I can and head straight towards the Phoenix. It flies directly towards me. This is the only way to save everyone. We collide, and the power of the Phoenix surges through me. I absorb the energy, and I feel fantastic. God, this must be what feeling high is like. I am high. I never want this to end. Oh crud, the effect just wore off.

"You alright up there, Mirror?"

"I'm fine Colonel. Where are the people we came here to help?"

"No idea, son. Maybe they already escaped. Maybe this was all a set up. We'll figure it out later. Let's just get the hell out of here".

"Hey, anybody got a future robot repair kit. Cameron looks like she just went fifteen rounds with....well...with me". Wow, Wade actually looks worried about her. This could be good for him.

"I am fine. My armour has not been compromised. The wounds are only skin deep".

"Mine to, babe. Homeward bound". We all head back through the portal to our headquarters. I can't wait to see what happens next around here. I never thought that I would say this, but I haven't had this much fun since I was an X-Man.


	15. Chapter 15

X-Men Termination: Part XV

My turn to do the shopping. Ok, what do I need to get. Pop-tarts? I haven't had those since I was forced to leave university. There are a lot of anti-mutant groups out there. What else? A maid? New rule, never let Deadpool near the shopping list. I have to tell Fury that when I get back.

"Excuse me?" A man with an Austrian accent is standing behind me. A very tall man with an Austrian accent. This guy's built like a wall.

"Yes, may I help you?"

"You can die".

He punches me in the face. I think my jaw might be broken. That is one very strong Austrian. In fact, I do not think he is an Austrian. He's about to punch me in the head again. I use Colossus' adamantium armour to withstand the punch. He hits me again and again, but I can take it.

"Very impressive. But it is ultimately futile. Your race has no future". He grabs my head and tries to crush it. "You will all die".

That's it, time to end this. Wolverine's claws emerge from my hands, and I use them to cut his arms off. He's a machine! That makes a lot of sense. With one swing of my right arm, I take his head off. The body collapses on the floor.

"Aufwedesen, ass-hole". I seem to be drawing a large crowd. Looks like I won't be shopping here again. "Don't worry folks, I'm leaving and I'm taking my robot with me". There are some friends of mine that should see this.

I melt down the body in the parking lot and take the head back to base as a trophy. The lobby is empty and so are the halls. There is no sign of a battle, so everyone must be alright. Eventually, I find them in the kitchen.

"Where are the groceries?" inquires JT.

"Ran into a little trouble at the store. By the way, does this look familiar to anyone?" I hold up the head and Sarah and John look like they are going into shock.

"What happened?"

"One minute, I'm buying groceries. The next thing I know, some big Austrian walks up to me, breaks my jaw, and tries to bash my head in". Wade starts laughing. "I am so glad you find this funny, Wade".

"Seriously? They sent an Austrian robot to kill you?" That's when I figure out why he is laughing.

"For God's sake. This is like something out of a Mel Brooks movie".

"Austrian robot attacks Jewish mutant, film at eleven". Fury walks in and sees the head.

"Where's the rest of him?"

"I melted it".

"You do realize that we could have used parts from him, right?"

"I'm sorry, Colonel. I don't exactly think straight when a robot has just tried to squash my head".

"You should have melted his head, too" adds Sarah. "Leave nothing".

"I take it you have a history with this T-888?"

"It's a T-800. They made those before they made the T-888, and yes. I have a history with them".

"What happened?"

"One tried to kill me on the night that John was conceived".

"Sarah, I think I already know the answer to this, but where is John's father?" Part of me does not want to know the answer to that. Part me thinks that I already know the answer.

"He's six feet underground". That's what I thought she was going to say. I walk over to her and drop the head on the table.

"Whatever you want me to do with this, I'll do it". She looks it in the eyes and then does the same thing to me.

"Get rid of it".

"Wait a minute mom. Its chip is probably still intact. I can hack into it and figure out why they resurrected the T-800".

"And find out how it knew I would be at that grocery store. The bastard was waiting for me". I generate Wolverine's claws and cut the head in half. John jumps out of his seat.

"Ok. Well, you just cut the end off of the chip, so it's useless. Why did you do that?"

"My whole life I have been hunted by things trying to kill me because I am a mutant. Only recently have I been allowed to kill the things that are hunting me. This is the result of years of suppressed anger". John has a look of understanding in his eyes. I think his life has been very similar to mine.

"Believe me, Mirror, I know what you're going through. Next time, leave something salvageable. Alright?"

"Sure thing, John". We can hear the sounds of automatic weapons fire coming from the lobby. "Damn it. KNOCK IT OFF, WADE!"

"SHOT THROUGH THE HEART! AND YOU'RE TO BLAME! OH, YOU GIVE LOVE.....A BAD NAME!" Uh-oh! Wade's just been shot in the chest. Why does he sing that every time that happens?

"Where's Sebastian?"

"He's right behind you".

"What? I haven't shot anyone in a long time".

"Sebastian, we haven't let you hold a gun in a long time", replies Daisy.

"I think we have an uninvited guest". We all run towards the sound of the gunfire. Sure enough, we find Wade in the middle of a shoot out with another Austrian robot.

"Let me tell you something, Helga, bullets ain't gonna kill me. All you're doing is wasting ammo".

Why does he have to provoke it? The Austrian guy drops his gun, runs towards Wade and punches him in the head. Wade goes down and the...what did they call it? T-800? Whatever it is, it's about to bash Wade's head in. I turn into the Hulk and jump over the railing.

"RAAA!" I hit the Austrian hard enough to send him flying through a wall. "MIRROR SMASH!" I jump on top of it, grab its head, and rip it off. Then I crush its head like a tin can and throw it into the ground like a football. After I have destroyed the metal man's head, I revert to my normal self.

"Well, that's just great. Another chip that has been rendered useless". John can be such a killjoy sometimes.

"Excuse me, John, for thinking of my friend's SAFTEY before thinking about your stupid chips".

"You know, I did have everything under control".

"Wade, he was about to bash your damn head in".

"Wouldn't have been the first time".

"And it probably won't be the last time either, Darling". That voice! Emma Frost! "Yes, it's me. How have you been mirror?" I turn around to find Blink, Emma, and Cloak standing a few feet away from me.

"What are all of you doing here?"

"We're here for your Austrian companion. Or rather, for his power source".

"Why do you need a miniature nuclear reactor? Is Utopia thinking of building a nuclear arsenal?"

"Maybe". Emma smiles that mischievous smile of hers. You can never tell if she is serious of if she is joking.

"Are you out of your minds?"

"No, I was kidding. With war between mutant and machine vastly approaching, we have developed some ingenious defence systems. Unfortunately, they require a lot of power. So we need as many nuclear reactors as we can find".

"I ask again, are you out of your minds? You're planning to fight a war of attrition against an army of robots. They do not run out of resources and they do not run out of manpower. Emma, this is a fight that you can't win".

"Scott thinks that we can".

"Scott is wrong! They WILL overcome your defences! It is only a matter of time. Your only hope....our races' only hope is to spread out so that they cannot kill us all in one blow".

"Strength in numbers, Darling. Besides, it's not your call to make. Cloak, Dear, go get the big metal man".

"Cloak, don't! You have to listen to me. This is a..AAAAAAA!" Oh God, my head! It feels like my brain is going to explode. Emma, don't do this. Please.

"I'm sorry, Mirror, but you are in my way. Cloak, go get what we came for." Cloak runs by me. The pain is unbearable. Emma, stop this. Please. We're X-Men. God, my head!

"Congratulations, you took out our Omega Level Mutant. Now here's your prize: an armour piercing bullet in the head". Wade leaps over me and pulls out his favourite machine guns.

"AAAAA! WADE! NO!" I blast him with laser vision. It's a short blast, but it's enough to knock him off balance. That was all that I could do at the moment. I can't concentrate any more than that.

Emma and Blink teleport away, and the pain leaves with them. I stumble to my feet and discover that Cloak and the dead Terminator have also disappeared. They got what they came for. Emma, how could you do that to me? We were teammates. More than that, we were like family. How could you?

"DUDE! WHAT THE HELL?" Oh right, Wade.

"I couldn't let you kill her".

"Why the hell not? In case you didn't notice, you just got owned by the lady in white. And, you just lost us all of those future components. What were you thinking?"

"I couldn't let you kill an X-Man. They are like family to me. They are the only family I have left. I'm sorry Wade, but I can't let you kill them. I can't".

"Mirror, buddy, they did not even hesitate to take you down. You didn't even fight back. Why didn't you fight back?"

"Haven't you been listening? I CAN'T FIGHT THE X-MEN!"

"That's great and all, but they can fight you".

"I know. If anyone wants me, I'll be in my room".

I march upstairs and walk into my room. On my bed, neatly folded, is my old X-Men uniform. I am so furious that I grab it and hurl it against the wall. The whole world has lost its mind. What the hell were we fighting to protect when the Skrulls invaded? What the? Something is tickling me. What the hell? OOOOK, something silvery just fell out of my shirt and.....transformed into Catherine!

"I did not know you could do that". Her clothing dissolves into the rest of her.

"I thought you were too tense, and needed to relieve some of that tension". I back away from her.

"Never tell anyone that I backed away from a beautiful naked woman, but I am really not in the mood right now".

"Do you want to talk?"

"More than anything".


	16. Chapter 16

X-Men Termination: Part XVI

"Before you came to this time, Earth was invaded by a race of shape-shifting aliens called the Skrulls. When I say race, I mean their entire freaking race came down and tried to take over. I joined the Canadian Army to defend my homeland from the invaders. For one day, every superhero and every supervillian on the planet united to fight a common enemy. After the hardest and largest worldwide battle in history, we won the day. The Skrulls fled our solar system with their tails between their legs. The Earth had been saved, but at a heavy price. Many people died during the fight for our planet and my....my hometown was razed to the ground". Catherine places her hand on my shoulder.

"My God, Joshua, I'm sorry. I didn't know".

"I had helped save my planet, but I could not save my family. The X-Men....they're the closest thing to a family I have left, and they attacked me. THEY ATTACKED ME! My whole world is turning upside down and I don't know what to do about it". She kisses me on the cheek.

"Tell me what you need".

"I need.....I need to do something. I feel as helpless as I did when the Skrulls attacked. It wasn't until after the battle that I found out that my home was gone. That my....family was gone. I didn't know until it was too late to save them. The same thing will happen with Utopia. I won't know until it is too late".

"The difference is that you know they will be attacked. You know that they are in danger and you know who is trying to kill them".

"I also know that they will probably attack me if I set foot on Utopia. They know that I will not fight another X-Man. I start trouble and Cyclops will kick my ass back to the mainland".

"Then try to convince them not to".

"They won't listen! Damn it, I tried to warn them and they attacked me".

"Then you must find a way to make them listen. Go out there, and save your people from extinction".

"I can't. But, I might know someone who can. Someone that is respected by the mutant community. If anyone can save the X-Men, it's him". I get up to leave, but not before kissing Catherine goodbye. "Wish me luck".

"Good luck, Mirror". I think I am floating again.

"You've never called me by my mutant name before". She kisses me again, and I leave to find the one man who can save us. "Hey Fury! I need to borrow Eden for a little while".

"What for?"

"I need to get to New York. Wade, you're coming with me".

"Me? Why me?"

"Because you're the only other person that is known to both the Avengers and the X-Men". Fury sort of grins. He's figured out what I am up to.

"Take Sarah with you".

"What?"

"If you want Wolverine and his Avengers to help you, you're going to need to connect with them. Luke Cage and Logan are both fathers. Sarah can connect with their paternal instincts, and convince them to join your cause".

"It makes sense", replies Sarah, nodding her head. "When do we leave?"

"Fury, Logan has the paternal instincts of, well..."

"A wolverine. I know. Take her anyway. Besides, she might just pluck the heartstrings of the other Avengers".

"I still think this is a bad idea".

"Look, it's very simple", adds Wade. "Either we take the MILF, or we don't go at all. You're choice, Mirror". John and Sarah are about to make some objection to his statement, but I've got something better in mind.

"What do you mean THE MILF?" Wade looks uncomfortable.

"Look, I'm not saying that Catherine's not hot. I'm just saying...."

"So you think my girlfriend is hot?"

"Yes. No! I mean, how do I get out of this?"

"Do you think my girlfriend is a MILF or not?"

"Well, yes".

"So, you want to sleep with my girlfriend?"

"No! You're twisting my words. OMG! Is that what I've been doing to people?"

"Well, you've been doing it to me since I was seventeen".

"No wonder people keep shooting and stabbing me".

"How old are you?"

"Twenty three".

"Twenty three!" Catherine seems surprised by this.

"I'm not too young for you, am I?"

"John is older than you are".

"I thought he was sixteen".

"I'm....It's complicated".

"It always is".

"Will you all SHUT UP and get going". Fury's pissed, time to go. Eden opens a portal and the three of us emerge on the other side.

"You sure you can find him?"

"No problem, Wade". I start to sniff the air. Sarah looks at me like I am insane.

"Um, what are you doing?"

"Everyone has a unique scent. Except for Cameron and Catherine, because they are machines. The person we are looking for is the best tracker on the planet. I acquired my tracking sense from him. I've got the scent. Follow me".

"So, we're being led by someone that is part dog".

"Not dog, Wolverine! This way, try not to attract attention. We`re in Osborn`s city now". I follow the scent, and it leads me to a brick wall.

"Now what?"

"I have no idea. There doesn't seem to be a door. It must be hidden".

"Why don't you just phase through it?"

"Or knock and see who answers". Both Sarah and I give Wade the "are you an idiot?" look.

"No, he had to get in somehow. Maybe there's a hidden trigger or something". I move to place my hand on the wall, and it passes straight through. "Whoa! Holographic cloaking technology. Not bad, Cap".

"You coming in or not?" That was Wolverine's voice. He must have picked up my scent. Reluctantly, I pass through the wall and enter the Avengers headquarters. Wade and Sarah follow me in.

"Now this is a base! Do you think they would be willing to trade".

"Shut up, Wade. Logan, I need to talk to you."

"You don't agree with Scott. I know. Emma gave me the head's up".

"Clever, but you of all people should know I'm right. For God's sakes, you've been fighting in wars since the Civil War".

"He's been doing WHAT?" Oops, I forgot that Sarah hasn't met Wolverine.

"Wolverine has a healing factor that slows down the aging process. He's over a hundred years old".

"Incredible. I wish that I could look that good at that age".

"Yer wasting your time, Bub. Go deal with your robots, we've got our own war to fight".

"Are you kidding me? Logan, Scott is planning to fight a war of attrition against SkyNet. Do you know how a war of attrition works? You get the other guy to deplete his resources and manpower. The problem is that the other guy gets his soldiers off an assembly line and has access to every automated system on the planet. His manpower and resources are unlimited. You think that you will outlast them on your little island, but they will outlast you".

"Kid, Scott Summers knows a lot more about tactics than you. So why don't you just shut your yap and head on home".

I'm about to object to his comments, when the walls start exploding. Something very powerful is hitting this building, and it is ripping the walls apart. The rest of the Avengers gather for a counterattack. We rush outside and find the streets full of T-888s with rocket launchers. But these aren't normal rockets.

"INCOMING!" They spot us and open fire. I erect a shield around us and the missiles impact against it.

"UFF! They've got plasma warheads! Someone's been doing some serious upgrades". Every time I block one of those new warheads, it hurts like hell.

Time to go on the offensive! I become the Phoenix and unleash my fury on the army of robots. I have channelled the Phoenix through me before, but I have never taken on the full power of the Phoenix. God, this is incredible. I might want to stay like this forever. I wonder if Catherine would get used to me being on fire all of the time.

"HAHAHAHA! That's right you metal bastards! YOU STARE AT DEATH ITSELF". My enemies are heavily armoured robots, and I reduce them to ash. I obliterate all of them in a matter of seconds. "HAHAHAHA! BANG! BANG! MIRROR'S FIERY FURY CAME DOWN UPON THEIR HEADS". I don't just eliminate them, I completely destroy them. "WOOO! I AM NEVER GIVING THIS UP".

"Yeah, Bub, you are".

"What? AAAAA!" Wolverine just stabbed me!


	17. Chapter 17

X-Men Termination: Part XVII

He stabbed me! Logan just stabbed me! What the hell? I've got to divert energy to my healing factor, fast! I turn towards him, doubled over because I've just been pierced by adamantium blades.

"Why?"

"It's for your own good, kid. The Phoenix is too much power for anyone to handle, even an Omega level powerhouse like you".

"No! I can handle it. Besides, you stabbing me won't...AAAA!" What the hell? I've just been stabbed again. I look over my shoulder and find X-23 with her blades in my back.

"X-23? Where the hell did you come from?"

"I am sorry, Mirror". She slashes me repeatedly. I can hear Sarah screaming, and Wade telling her to stay out of it.

"It's an X-Men matter, don't get involved".

"He's all yours, Frost". Frost? I turn around and spot the rest of the X-Men. They must have teleported here. Emma's here, and so are the Cuckoos. Oh crap, now I know what they are doing.

"Scott, please. I can control it. Don't do this". He takes off his visor and hits me with a blast of laser vision at full power. I go flying through the air and land on my ass.

"AAAAAA!" Oh God! My head!

"He's still fighting us. Get him to divert more energy". I spot Colossus charging towards me.

"I am sorry Tovarich, but no one can control the Phoenix. The Phoenix controls you". He hits me with a right uppercut to the jaw. I try to fly away and I am pierced by multiple sharp objects, like daggers. Is Dagger here? No, it's Archangel!

"Warren, please!" I can sense someone coming up from behind me to attack me. Instinctively, I blast the attacker. Then I realize that I have just blasted X-23.

"NO!" I have never seen Logan this pissed off. He jumps me, knocks me to the ground, and then slashes the hell out of me. I guess there is something paternal in him after all, just not for Daken. I think this is it. I think he is going to kill me.

"LOGAN!" It's Scott. "That's enough! We've done what we came here to do. The Phoenix has been permanently suppressed, and X-23 is already healing".

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her. It was pure instinct. God, what have I done?" Am I crying because I have been stabbed repeatedly, or because I just fried a teammate?

"THAT is why we can't trust you with the Phoenix".

"Logan, it was an accident".

"If it had been anyone else, it would have been a fatal one". Scott walks over to me and helps me to my feet.

"Did you think we didn't know about the last time you used the Phoenix. It almost flash fried your friends".

"I stopped it".

"That time you stopped it. Letting you have that much power was too much of a risk. I'm sorry, Mirror, but it had to be done".

"You healed, kid?"

"I am fine, Logan. Thank you for asking" replies X-23.

"And you?" He is looking at me, and he is not cutting my face off. This is good.

"I'm fine. Now that we're all together, I need to talk to you".

"You just don't know when to quit, do you Bub?"

"No, James, I don't".

"Don't call me that!"

"What the hell was that all about?" demands Sarah. "I thought you X-Men were like one, big family. You could have killed him".

"And he could have killed someone. Actually, he could have killed a lot of people. You play with fire, someone always gets burned. In this case, it was someone that could take it". It amazes me at how calm Logan is when he is replying to Sarah. A few minutes ago, he was willing to impale me. Sarah looks at him, then at X-23.

"Oh my God! Is she your daughter?"

"In a matter of speaking. She's my clone. So in a way, I am her father".

"You're clone? But..."

"Some of the genetic material got scrambled in the process. Other than being the wrong gender, she's me".

"You've got admit, Wolverine. This new you is a lot cuter than the old you". Logan sort of growls at him. Wade, if he cuts your head off, I am so not sewing it back on. Partly because I don't have the energy to sew you back together. I just got taken down by the X-Men!

"Listen to me, that kid you just beat the crap out of is telling the truth. You can't outlast SkyNet. You have to destroy it now, or it will destroy you. Trust me. I have a reliable source that says your plan is not going to work". She kind of sounds like Fury. Very sure of herself, very commanding. A natural born leader. I'm not sure if I'm turned on or intimidated.

"Ma'am, I've been...." Scott's speech is interrupted by an explosion. Something big has just blown up.

"Was....was that SkyNet? Sarah, are we too late?" I am genuinely concerned.

"It sounds like it was only one target. SkyNet would have hit the whole city. This is something else".

"I think that's where the Giants game was tonight".

"YAAAA!" Steve Rogers? How is this possible? He was dead! "You? How? I went to your funeral".

"It's complicated".

"It's always complicated. So, you're back. Great! What are we all standing around for? Let's go! Avengers Assemble and all of that!"

"Times are different now, kid" replies Wolverine.

"What? I seem to be saying this every three minutes, but are you all out of your minds? Here's what we do: we rush over there, we help as many people as we can, we track down whoever is responsible and then we kick their ass".

"We can't do that in Osborn's city. We have to sit tight and see what happens".

"Sit tight and..." I'm interrupted by the sound of Nick Fury yelling in my ear.

"TEAM! BACK TO BASE! NOW!" The portal opens up behind us.

"X-Men, back to Utopia".

"I don't believe this #^*".

"You don't have to believe it, kid" replies Fury. "You just need to get your ass back to base. NOW!" Reluctantly, I follow my orders and we all head back through the portal. I'm too drained to do much now, anyway. Before I pass through, I hear Wolverine calling me.

"Hey, Bub! We ain't running. We are going to find whoever's responsible for this and we are definitely going to kick their ass. We may be fugitives, but we're still the good guys. And the good guys always beat the crap out of the bad guys".

"Amen to that, Logan. I'll see you in the field".

"See ya, kid".

I pass through the portal and emerge back in our headquarters. Fury is walking down the hallway, and he does not look pleased. Then again, he never looks pleased. Still, I think something is very wrong here. He looks at me, then at the device in his hand, then back at me.

"You look like hell. Things not go according to plan with the Avengers?"

"The robots interrupted our meeting. Things kind of got out of hand, and the X-Men had to come in and deal with it. It got ugly. I'll be fine in a few minutes. There's something I don't understand though; if SkyNet knew where the Avengers were, why launch an assault. Why not just bomb the whole block?"

"Because they were waiting for something. Like a war between Asgard and the United States of America".

"Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen".

"It just did".

"What? Who would be stupid enough to....Osborn! That idiot!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"If I know Logan and Scott, and I think I do, they will mobilize everyone they can. This is their best shot to take Osborn down".

"It's what I'd do".

"It's what you're going to do, right? The Secret Warriors are going to war".

"So is the whole damn superhuman community".

"My God, now I understand".

"You're staying here to help the Connor's and the Weaver's. Deadpool too. He might be useful".

"Hells ya, I will. For what? What's going on?"

"SkyNet hasn't made its move yet because it's been waiting for the superhumans to start blasting the crap out of each other. This war will draw in nearly all of the big name heroes and villains, and whoever survives will be significantly weakened by the fighting. Then the machines can move in and wipe everyone out".

"Wow, those are some smart machines. I wish I were that smart".

"We all wish you were that smart, Wade".

"Thank you. HEY!"

"When are you leaving, Fury?"

"Immediately. We're grabbing our gear and heading out".

"Good luck out there, old man. Kick some crazy people back to the holes they crawled out of".

"You too, Kid. Make sure we don't all die when this is over".

"You just try to win your war, Fury. Let us worry about the machines". We shake hands. For the first time in my life, I detect a note of mutual respect in Fury's voice.

"Turn'em into scrap metal".

"You do the same to Norman and his "borrowed" armour".

As Fury and his warriors leave, I cannot help but feel a sense of impending doom. It looks as though the end of days is just around the corner. I wish I still had the Phoenix.


	18. Chapter 18

X-Men Termination: Part XVIII

The twenty four hour news agencies are running non-stop coverage of the "Asgardian Attack". What a load of crap! Volstagg didn't attack anyone. He was attacked by Osborn's lunatics. Poor, fat bastard gets attacked by super-powered crazy people and he is suddenly responsible for the worst war of our time. At least, that is what they say on CNN. If I weren't busy, I would take Osborn's stolen helmet and shove it up his.....

"We've got a problem", announces John right beside my ear. He could speak a little more quietly.

"Excuse me; a hysterical little boy just started shouting in my ear. What were you saying?" Everyone else walks into the room. Catherine slightly chuckles at my remark before lightly slapping me on the back of the head.

"Joshua, be niece".

"No, be mean. Very mean. Because our unfriendly neighbourhood Terminators are overrunning a military base near hear. I just picked up their distress call". Why didn't he start with that?

"Do you know which base it is, John".

"Who cares what base it is? We kill Terminators, so that is what we are going to do. Saddle up, people". At times like this, Derrick reminds me of Wade. They have the same, devil may care, shoot first ask later mentality.

"Base 62. Is that important?" No! NO!

"FUCK!" Everyone looks shocked. The F-word is something that I never say. "We need to move, now! Both Johns will stay here and work on finishing those new lasers, because we will need them. Everyone else, grab your gear. I'll meet you in the lobby". I run into the hallway, followed by Catherine.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later. Grab your gear".

"I don't have any gear. What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later". She grabs my arm. Sometimes, I forget how strong a grip she has.

"You'll tell me now!"

"If we can't hold that base, we'll lose the war". I have never seen her eyes get that big before. Her jaw looks like it could hit the floor (and knowing her shape-shifting abilities, it just might).

We all meet in the lobby and prepare to move out. Sarah and Cameron are carrying M16s with attached grenade launchers. I doubt they can actually do any damage, but they should buy us some time. Derrick has an M82 rifle, a very big and very powerful gun. Wade has the largest gun in the building, John's new laser rifle. Catherine and I aren't carrying anything. We don't need weapons because we ARE weapons. Time to teleport to GRSO Base 62, and keep the Terminators from grabbing the mutant power nullifiers.

We teleport into the base and find the GRSO soldiers being slaughtered like cattle. When we arrive, the soldiers are not sure whether they should shoot us or the robots. I, on the other hand, know exactly who to shoot at. I use the powers of the Sommers brothers, Alex and Scot, to launch a counterattack against the Terminators. Unfortunately, there are too many Terminators and I cannot destroy them fast enough. The fighting escalates to hand to hand combat. Catherine uses her blades and I use Wolverine's claws to destroy the robots that get too close.

"BAM! Another pile of scrap metal. How you holding out, Wade?"

"I'm getting my head pounded in, but I'm fine. OW!"

"Sarah?"

"Cameron's doing most of the dirty work; I'm just trying to shoot these sons of...."

"Sorry to interrupt", announces Catherine, "but we should really try to RETAKE THIS BLOODY BASE!"

She's right, time to go on the offensive. No fancy stuff, just a lot of explosions. I use Cyclops' laser vision to burn the heads off of everything in my path. I divert the power I was using for Havoc's plasma bursts to ensure a steady stream of non-stop laser fire. With Wade on my left, I charge like a maddened bull (which is funny when you consider that I have red lasers firing out of my eyes). Dozens of mechanical monstrosities fall with their heads blown to bits.

"Heads down, everyone! Or you'll lose a little off the top".

Everyone hits the deck as I look around the room blasting everyone that is standing in the head. Lucky for me, they were all Terminators. The good guys are all on the ground, trying to keep their heads down to avoid my attack. Over and over again, I sweep the room clear of enemies and then charge into the next room to repeat the process. After what seems like an eternity, the base is secured and there is only one Terminator left.

"Well done, it is a pity that you have to die".

"Bring it, tin can".

I blast her in the head and she goes down. Then she gets back up. What the..? Her right arm transforms into a type of laser and she shoots Wade in the chest. He goes down, but I know that he will recover. As for her, she's toast! No one shoots Wade Wilson with an energy burst but me. I switch to Havoc's plasma bursts and shoot her in the head. She goes down, gets back up and then shoots me in the chest.

"YAAA! That hurt you robotic whore!" She smiles.

Ok. Energy attacks are not working. Let's see what Wolverine's abilities can do. I heal up and then charge at the Terminator with Wolverine's claws coming out of my hands. I move to strike her, and she blocks my attack. Blocks it! What the hell? Uh-oh! There's only one thing that could block Adamantium. Vibranium! Her armour must be laced with Vibranium. I am in trouble.

Her arms transform into saw blades and she starts to cut me to shreds. My God, she just cut up my ribs! Transfer more energy to healing factor and keep from getting killed. She tries to saw my arms off, but I shoot her in the face with laser vision and then kick her away. Arms and ribs are healing nicely. Now to just figure out a way to destroy a Vibranium laced Terminator. Whatever I am going to do, I had better do it quick. The crazy thing is getting back up and headed straight for me.

"You disappoint me, Mutant Mirror. I thought you would be more of a challenge".

"It's just Mirror, you crazy Terminator witch".

"I understand Sarah Connor uses a different phrase in these sorts of situations". She jumps on me and pins my arms down. She's strong, even stronger than Catherine.

"You put up a good defence, Mirror. But you and your race are finished. I will destroy you. Then we will destroy your kind. The mutants are finished". I put every last ounce of energy I have into one last attack.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Blackbolt's scream! The most powerful and most devastating attack I have in my arsenal. It obliterates everything around me, in a burst of sound and light that nothing can survive. The attack vaporizes the Terminator's torso, along with the building's roof. I just hope I did not destroy any of the good guys while I was killing that robo-witch.

"Hey! You ok? Mirror? Mirror, say something! Just don't say it in Blackbolt's voice". God bless that crazy Canadian.

"I'm fine Wade. The Terminators?"

"They're all dead. We did it. We saved the base".

"I just hope we're not too late. Who's in charge of this base?"

"The C.O.'s dead, so I guess I am", replies one of the GRSO soldiers.

"Take me to your armoury".

"I can't. You're not authorized to...."

"TAKE ME TO THE DAMN ARMOURY OR I WILL KILL YOU!" The GRSO soldiers all take a step backwards. They are afraid of me, but I'm not what they should be afraid of.

"Sure. No problem. Just don't vaporize me". We all walk to the building the soldier has indicated as the armoury. Just as I thought, one of the walls has been destroyed.

"Oh, this is not good". I run into the armoury and discover that it is empty. Shit!

"What is it? Damn it, Joshua. Tell me what is going on". Catherine deserves to know. They all do. This could be the end.

"GRSO, in its infinite wisdom, developed a device that zaps a mutant's powers. It was very expensive to make and it was only effective within the device's immediate vicinity, so they did not make many of them. One of the places that had these devices, along with an entire arsenal of anti-mutant weaponry, was this base. Now for the bad news, while we were busy saving the GRSOs, SkyNet made off with all of the anti-mutant gear".

"That does not sound good", replies Catherine.

"That's not the worst part. The really bad news is that SkyNet could adapt the mutant power nullifier to affect all of the superhumans. They could depower us all and then kill us. With their resources and technology, they could create a device that could zap every superhuman on the planet simultaneously. We might have just lost this war".

"But you've fought these things before right? How did you beat them?"

"Back in the old days, the X-Men would deploy people with ranged attacks to destroy the devices. Once the device had been destroyed, everyone else would move in and take down the mutant hunters. Of course, to do that, you need to know where the damn device is".

"Don't the clowns in suits know how to find it?" That is probably the smartest thing Derrick has ever said.

"Reese, you are a genius". I cannot believe I just said that. "You! Give me the tracking frequencies for the power nullifiers".

"You don't have authorisation to..."

"GIVE ME THE DAMN FREQUENCIES!"

"They're in the C.O.'s office".

"Then go get them". It's not complicated. When the guy with claws in his hands and lasers in his eyes tells you to give him something, you give it him.

"Should we take this thing with us?" Wade lifts up the robo-witch's legs.

"What was that thing, anyway?"

"I have no idea", replies Catherine.

"What do you mean, you have no idea?"

"We have never encountered this type of Terminator before", replies Cameron. "It is a new kind".

"Cool! What should we call it? I know; we'll call it, the ASS KICKANATOR! What do you think?"

"I think I should shoot you. Anyway, it seems to be an anti-mutant Terminator. So let's call it Terminator X".

"What is with you and the letter X? Besides, Terminator X sounds awful. What if we call it, T-X?"

"T-X, I like that. We'll have to warn the X-Men about this. Vibranium laced Terminators. What will they think of next?"

"I would not be surprised if SkyNet has already downloaded the schematics for these devices and has begun to adapt them for its purposes". I love Catherine, I really do. But she can be such a downer sometimes.

"We'll deal with it. Here comes soldier boy with the info. Grab what's left of the Terminators and prepare to head out. Especially grab the T-X". You can never have enough Vibranium.


	19. Chapter 19

X-Men Termination: Part XIX

"Ok. So here's the situation. We now know where the power nullifiers are. The problem is that simply destroying the nullifiers will not solve our situation. We need to erase all data related to the GRSO tech from the SkyNet database. John, since you're supposed to be this famous general, why don't you explain the battle plan".

"Don't make me shoot you. With some help from John Henry, I've managed to create a computer virus that will erase all data related to the anti-mutant tech. The plan is simple: we go in, blast our way through the base, and you all keep me covered while I download the virus and erase the data. Then, we blow the base and teleport the hell out of there. The whole thing should take less than thirty minutes". It's a good plan, but Sarah looks like she is going to explode.

"Why you? Any of us can download a virus. Why do you have to be there?"

"Because it's more complicated than just downloading a virus, mom. I'm the only one that can do this. I have to be there or the plan falls apart".

"The kid will be fine, Sarah. I promise that I will not let anything happen to him".

"You better not. Because if he gets so much as a scratch, I don't care how many powers you have, I will kill you". Never mess with a mother.

"Noted. If everyone will grab their weapons, we can be off and end this thing before it ends us".

The new lasers are ready. Wade, Cameron, and Derrick are now carrying the heaviest artillery we have. Sarah still has to use an M16, at least until we can figure out how to make the laser rifles lighter. It is simply too heavy for her to carry into combat. Time to kick some metal ass! As usual, John Henry is going to stay behind and keep an eye on everything. It's great that we always have someone to watch over Savannah, but we really need to convert him into a soldier. We need as many people in the field as we can get.

"All right Mirror, click your heels together three times and say there's no place like SkyNet".

"Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, Wade". I teleport us directly in front of the facility that is holding the power nullifiers. "Stay close to me, kid, and you'll make it out of here in one piece". Sarah surveys the area.

"No guards, no turrets, no barbed wire. Are you sure this is the right place?"

"The front door is made of Vibranium, so I'd say it's a fairly good possibility".

"Great. So how do we get through it?"

"We? I get through it. You, just stand back and don't get caught in the blast". I fire a transformative electron manipulation beam at the door and obliterate it. Black Bolt, wherever you are, I owe you big time.

"LUCY! WE'RE HOME!" An army of T-888s and T-800s is charging at us.

"SHUT UP AND SHOOT SOMETHING!"

"With pleasure, my mutant friend".

The Terminators fire machine guns at us. I charge through them firing Havoc's plasma bursts from my arms. John is right behind me, which is a very good thing. Disregarding the fact that he is a genius, he's a good kid. I like him, which is why I am focusing on two things: one, creating a magnetic field to stop the bullets from reaching him. Two, firing a steady stream of plasma bursts to destroy the Terminators on either side of me. The others are behind us, destroying Terminators with their laser rifles, but I still have the highest kill ratio. With two steady streams of the plasma firing from my arms, I am obliterating the opposition.

"Another one bites the dust".

"Heads up, robots!"

"WADE! Less banter, more splatter".

"INCOMING!"

Shoulder mounted missiles. Not bad. I stop them in mid air and then blast the shooters in the head. They die, we don't. Then I decide to show off for Catherine, so I use Danny Rand's powers to swat energy charged bullets back at the Terminators and destroy them. Wade makes some wisecrack, but I'm not really paying attention. Let's just try to reach the computers in one piece.

"FOREWARD! GO FOR...AAA!"

"REESE!" Shit! Derrick's been hit in the shoulder. I provide cover fire and we race to where he is lying.

"You did well, Reese. It's time to pull your ass out of the fire". I teleport him to the nearest hospital and continue with the assault. Catherine picks up his laser rifle and starts shooting Terminators.

We advance further into the facility, demolishing everything in our path. John and I are far ahead of the others, so that we may reach the computers as quickly as possible and end this madness. Cameron, Catherine, and Wade are doing their best to shield Sarah from the incoming weapons' fire. Unfortunately, they can't stop every bullet and she gets hit.

"MOM!"

"STAY CLOSE TO ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE".

The others have formed a circle around her. I blast a path to reach them and use magnetic fields to shield John and myself from bullets and missiles. Sarah has been hit in the spine. She'll live, but she'll never walk again. I teleport her to the same place as Derrick, and the assault continues.

We reach another Vibranium door. How many of these things are there? Doesn't matter, I obliterate it exactly the same way I destroyed the first one. Unfortunately, there are a lot of T-Xs on the other side of the door. Crap. I use magnetic fields to toss them over our heads and into the crowd of T-888s and T-800s that are behind us. That won't stop them, but it did remove the last obstacle between us and the computers.

"RUN KID! WE'LL COVER YOU! EVERYONE ELSE, TAKE UP POSITIONS AT THE DOOR! LINE IN THE SAND TIME!"

We all take up positions at the doorway. The T-Xs have disguised themselves as T-888s and T-800s. They can shape-shift! Not good. Until I can figure out who has a machine gun and who has a laser, I need to protect Cameron and Catherine. I use Multiple Man's powers to create duplicates of myself and use them as human shields. Sure enough, the T-Xs act like snipers and pick off my duplicates, but I just make more to replace the ones that are killed. I sweep the area with plasma bursts, slaughtering the other Terminators. But I still can't find the damn T-Xs. Just keep making duplicates and blasting robots in the head.

Wait a minute, Magneto once said that he could smell Wolverine's Adamantium. Focus on finding Vibranium. Find the Vibranium and you find the T-Xs. Got it. Say hello to my transformative electron manipulation beam. I fire a single burst and destroy its head. The rest drop their disguises and simply charge us with their laser rifles. The others can handle the T-888s and T-800s. Focus on destroying the T-Xs, before they can destroy your friends and lover.

"EVERYONE ALLRIGHT?"

"I'VE GOT MORE HOLES THAN SWISS CHEESE, BUT I CAN MANAGE" replies Wade.

"I AM NOT AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT I CAN STILL FIGHT", replies Cameron.

"GREAT TO HEAR! JOHN? ANYTIME NOW".

"I NEED A FEW MORE MINUTES".

Here's hoping we can hold out that long. Wade and Catherine are full of holes, but they will heal. Cameron's human flesh has been torn to shreds, but her armour hasn't been compromised. The real danger is from the T-Xs. They can destroy Cameron and Catherine, and possibly me. That is why I am destroying them first. I blast the T-Xs with transformative electron manipulation beams and I blast the rest of these robot wretches with plasma bursts. Everyone else is firing head shots with laser rifles. Every few minutes, the laser rifles need to recharge and I'm stuck holding off an entire army of robots by myself. Then, everyone else rejoins the fight and helps me hold back the endless tide of Terminators.

"NOT TO PRESSURE YOU, KID, BUT WE CAN'T HOLD OUT FOREVER". Which is true, I'm nearly exhausted. Even an Omega Level Manipulator needs rest.

They're using plasma warhead missiles now. Which means that I need to create more duplicates as fast as I can, because I don't think any of us could survive a direct hit from one of those. Concentrate, I must direct more energy to my attacks. Take down as many of these killing machines as quickly as possible. Come on, John. Wipe the files and get the hell out of there.

"OK! I'M DONE!"

"GOOD JOB KID! NOW GET YOUR ASS OVERHERE". John runs over to us, and I teleport everyone out of there. Everyone except for me. Time to end this. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

I scream. I scream at the top of my lungs, with every ounce of energy I have left. I scream until everything in the area has been obliterated, including the Terminators, the GRSO Tech, and the entire facility. I scream until I exert myself beyond exhaustion. Here's hoping that there aren't any more hostiles in the area, or I'm dead. Even if I do die, I will die knowing that I saved my race from extinction. Passing out now.

I'm starting to come to. Which is good, because it means that I am not dead. I can hear people talking. It sounds like Wade, Cameron, Catherine, and....Sarah? How long have I been out? Ok, sense of smell coming back. I can smell, silver? What the hell?

"Wade! That's just racist".

"Deadpool! There are only three people on Earth I let call me Wade, and you're not one of them. Besides, this has nothing to do with him being Jewish. Trust me; I know what I'm doing". Now I know what that smell is. How the hell did he get that? I'll kill him.

"Wade".

"Ah! Here he comes, back to the land of the living". Just as I thought, he's holding a British Columbia silver dollar in front of my nose. MY British Columbia silver dollar! I grab it from him.

"How the hell did you get this? You had no right to take it".

"I grabbed it just before the attack. In case your body was fried, I wanted to place it on your coffin. Cross my heart and hope to....not die".

"Even if I believed you, which I don't, you had no right to take this. You know what it means to me".

"Wait, so he wasn't trying to be racist?"

"No Sarah, he.....You're walking. How are you walking? You got shot in the spine". She smiles at me.

"Do you remember how we cured my cancer?"

"Yeah, we injected you with Wade's healing factor. Oh, now I understand". She almost starts to laugh. "Congratulations. You are now in the nearly impossible to kill club".

"Well, it takes a little longer for mine to work, but the effect is still the same. The doctors said it was a miracle".

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. How's Reese? And John? They're still alive, right?"

"John escaped without a scratch, thanks to you. Reese was only slightly wounded, and he'll make a full recovery. We did it. We won".

"Hell's ya we did. The building went boom and the nullifiers are neutralized. Wait to go, Mirror. You vaporized everything that could kill us".

"I'm going to vaporize you if ever touch this again, Wade".

"What's so important about a coin?"

"I used to have a coin collection. This was the last gift my father gave me before my home town was razed by invading aliens. No one touches this. No one! Got it".

"Go it".

"Good. Let's go home".


	20. Chapter 20

X-Men Termination: Part XX

December, 2009. Wade got us a Christmas Tree (I'm not going to ask where). John Henry and Savannah are making the place look festive for the holidays. It is a little weird to see holly and mistletoe hanging next to laser rifles. Things have been relatively quiet since we trashed that SkyNet facility and derailed their plans to depower the superhumans. Who knows, we just might get to sit back and relax for Christmas. But I doubt it.

"HO-HO-HO. Santa Deadpool's coming to town". Where did he get that costume? You know what, I don't want to know. Savannah runs up to him and gives him a hug.

"Merry Christmas Wade".

"Merry Christmas, Princess".

"You let her call you Wade?" There are only two other people on this planet that can call him Wade: Weasel and myself.

"Well, I like her".

"You hate children".

"I do not".

"You used to joke about shooting babies".

"Ok, I don't like kids. But I like this one".

"Why?"

"You know how people always react when they see me without my mask".

"Yeah, they mostly want to puke".

"Well, Savannah and Cameron are the only two people that did not freak out when they saw what I really look like. They treated me like a person". I smile, and I'm pretty sure that he's smiling too. He lifts her up onto his shoulders and they start to sing Christmas Carols. Christmas Carols! Deadpool! What has this world come to?

"Hey, speaking of tidings of comfort, any news from Fury?"

"Nope! Nothing's coming out of Asgard without Normie's say so".

"That guy is such a tool".

"I hear that".

"What's a tool?" Oops. Sometimes I forget that we have a six year old girl living with us.

"It's a not nice thing, Sweetie. Uncle Mirror and I will explain everything when you're older".

"Much older. I'd rather not be killed by your mom".

"Or have her snip off important parts".

"Like what?"

"How are you going to get out of this one, Uncle Wade?"

"With the standard answer: I'll tell you when you're older". Santa Deadpool and Savannah go down to the lobby to help John Henry decorate the tree. A Terminator that decorates Christmas Trees. Of all the killer robots in the world, we get the one that decorates Christmas Trees.

"How would you have gotten out of that?" Catherine is standing behind me. How long has she been standing there?

"Probably the same way he did. You been there long?"

"Long enough to hear that you're afraid I'll kill you".

"Um, that was just a figure of speech. I never expected you to actually..."

"Relax", she starts to chuckle. "I've been around humans long enough to understand their speech patterns". I laugh nervously. Catherine is my first real girlfriend and I'm still not sure how to act around her.

"I'm just a little nervous. I've never dated anyone with a family before". She walks over to me and places the fingers on her right hand on my lips, while pointing up with her left hand.

"Mistletoe".

"How about that". We move in close to kiss. Just as our lips are about to touch....

"EASY! I BRUISE EASILY! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME! PUT MY DOWN ROBO GIRL".

"Did that sound like anyone that should be here?"

"Not really".

"I didn't think so". We both run towards the source of the shouting. Along the way, we are joined by everyone else. At the end of a hallway, we find Cameron interrogating Weasel.

"Why were you spying on our location?"

"I wasn't spying. I just stopped by to say hello to some old friends".

"You were attempting to gain access to our headquarters without being noticed. Therefore, you were spying".

"Well, I.....wait, what?" Cameron puts her fist through the wall a few inches from Weasel's face. Wade runs over to her as fast as he can.

"Whoa! Hold on a minute. This is my old pal, Weasel. There is no need to bash his head in".

"Oh. I apologize for intimidating you".

"Um, ok. What are you?"

"Weasel, this is my girlfriend Cameron. She's also a killer robot from the future. Cameron, this is my oldest friend and one of three people that can call me Wade, Weasel". Sarah looks at me and mouths the word Weasel, and I mouth back "Don't ask".

"So, now that we know what all of the noise was about, why are you here Weasel?"

"It's good to see you too, Mirror. Thanks for the warning about Wade and his killer girlfriend".

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I supposed to warn the guy that always sneaks into places uninvited that we are living with robots?"

"Touché, Mirror".

"Great idea", Wade grabs Cameron's butt.

"Wade! He said touché, not tushy".

"But this is so much more fun". Cameron is actually smiling. This is officially a weird day.

"Anyway, I came here to warn you guys about a new threat of the robotic variety".

"What are you talking about, Weasel?"

"Well, you've heard that Tony Stark's Hellicarier was overrun by Skrulls during the invasion and the deputy commander had no choice but the scuttle the ship".

"Yeah, I've hear about that. The Skrulls lost, we won. So?"

"Did you also know that Stark had already built a replacement ship when he was replaced by Osborn?"

"No, I did not know that".

"It just so happens that I've gotten my hands on the blueprints for the new Hellicarrier. Here, take a look". Weasel tosses me a small holographic projector containing the schematics for the new ship. It is truly a beautiful vessel. Stark outdid himself this time.

"Oh, Tony. This was your masterpiece. This was your Mona-Lisa. What happened to it, Weasel?"

"As soon as Osborn came to power, the first thing he did was order the new Hellicarrier be scrapped so that he could build his own".

"And we all know how well that turned out. Such a shame. This was a beautiful ship".

"It still is. Someone must not have gotten the memo, because the ship was never scrapped".

"Great, where is it?"

"That's the bad news. Your new friends' distant family grabbed the ship. The robots now have the most advanced aerial vehicle ever built".

"Great, just great".

"I don't get it. If they have their own Hellicarrier, then why steal Osborn's".

"Easy, Wade. They didn't want us to know that they had a Hellicarrier. My God, they must be using it as a mobile headquarters, just like we did when Shield was still around. SkyNet in the skies".

"And he says that my jokes are terrible".

"It's not a joke, Wade. It's a very big problem. With a mobile H.Q., they can coordinate attacks all over the globe. We have to take this thing out as soon as possible".

"Great. How?"

"I think I might have a plan. I need to make a call first".

"To who?"

"The Kree Empire".


	21. Chapter 21

X-Men Termination: Part XXI

We are all in the lobby, waiting for a ride to the Kree home-world. Catherine is a little nervous about taking Savannah with us, but I think she will enjoy a trip across the universe. Besides, she is going to love Lockjaw. I wonder what is taking so long.

"What are we waiting for again?" asks Sarah.

"A giant dog that can teleport entire armies across the universe".

"Seriously? We are standing in the middle of a lobby, totally exposed, waiting for a giant dog?" While she is thinking of a clever sarcastic remark, Lockjaw teleports into the lobby.

"Woof".

"About time! It's good to see you old friend".

"Woof".

"I don't believe it".

"Hey, Savannah! Want to ride the big dog?"

"Can I?"

"Sure, Lockjaw lets Luna ride him all of the time. It won't be a problem, right Lockjaw?"

"Woof".

"Can I, mommy? Please?" Catherine looks straight at me, and I mouth the words "trust me".

"If Joshua says it's alright, then I trust him". I lift a very excited six year old and place her on a very large dog. Lockjaw is actually taller than I am, so I need to use Mr. Fantastic's powers to place Savannah on his back.

"Ok. Now if everyone would gather around Lockjaw, we can be on our way. Next stop; the Kree Empire".

"Um, quick question: why are we going to the Kree Empire, wherever that is?" I was afraid that John would ask that. He will not like the answer.

"It's on the other side of the Universe. You'll know why we have to go when we get there".

"You didn't answer my question".

"Have I ever given you a reason to not trust me?"

"Well, you've saved our lives on many occasions".

"I'm asking you to trust me. Come on, General, have a little faith".

"Well, I've always wanted to travel through space".

"Good. All aboard the Inhuman Express". We all gather around Lockjaw and he teleports us directly to Hala. I hope Maximus has the damn Sentry ready. The others will not be pleased when they learn that I am planning to use one robotic super-weapon to destroy another. "Thank you, Lockjaw".

"Woof".

"You brought some friends. Good. I'm always looking for an audience to show off for". Ah, Maximus; as brilliant and arrogant as ever.

"Hail Maximus! Brother of Black Bolt. Inventor of super-weapons for the Inhumans. Destroyer of the Shi'Ar". Maximus takes a bow.

"Please, you give me too little credit".

"Is it ready?"

"Is what ready? Who is this? Why did we travel across the whole damn universe to meet this guy?" Wow. John's never been this inquisitive before.

"Don't yell at me when you find out".

"What does that mean?"

"Is it ready?"

"Oh, it's ready. I just finished making a few, last minute adjustments to Blackagar".

"You named him after your brother?"

"I named him in honour of my brother. Blackagar, come meet our new friends". The Chorus Sentry steps out of the shadows. It is a lot bigger than I had expected. "He's big, he's powerful, and he's completely undetectable by any Terran detection system".

"He's a giant robot! Are you out of your mind?" Why didn't I ask Sarah to not yell at me? As if she would have listened.

"This giant robot happens to be the most powerful weapon in the entire Kree Empire. A squad of these guys can obliterate an entire Shi'Ar battle-group".

"I have no idea what that means".

"Before the Kree / Shi'Ar war, the Shi'Ar Empire had the largest and most powerful fleet in the known universe".

"And after the war?"

"The Shi'Ar no longer have a fleet. If a single squadron of these guys can destroy 65 of the most heavily shielded and heavily armoured ships in the universe, one of them should have no problem destroying the Hellicarrier". They look as though they agree with me. Not only could this plan work, but it could work without having to fight the others as well as SkyNet.

"So, what's the plan? We just sit back and let Blackagar do our fighting for us? Because I remember another robot that was supposed to do man's fighting for it". Note to self, do not bring Sarah on any future expeditions.

"No, Sarah. I am going to attack the Hellicarrier head on and create a diversion. Blackagar over here will attack from the rear and destroy the Hellicarrier. All that the rest of you have to do is sit back and watch the fireworks".

"Alone? You're going to attack a flying aircraft carrier alone?" Catherine actually seems concerned. I have never been this happy.

"I'll be fine. I'll have Blackagar with me".

"You're relying on a robot to watch your back".

"Sweetheart, you're a robot".

"Ironic, isn't it". We both start to laugh. Then Wade ruins the moment by throwing his arms around us.

"How sweet. If only there weren't a flying ship full of genocidal robots planning to kill us all at any moment. Could we get a move on, please?"

"Great timing, Wade. Remind me to rip your heart out later and put it in a blender".

"Great thing to say in front of a child, Mirror".

"Shut it, Maximus. Blackagar, get over here. Lockjaw, home please".

"Woof" He teleports us back to the lobby, where Weasel is currently cowering behind the front desk.

"Hey, you're back. I never doubted it. Where did you go?"

"Hala. We left our back-up on the moon. Funny story, I temporarily kicked Wade out of our air bubble and watched his head explode. Of course, it reformed itself. But it was still amusing to watch".

"Yeah, that sounds hysterical. Oh, man. We are three twisted individuals".

"That's what happens when you hang around him for too long".

"Sure, blame the guy whose head you blew up".

"Wade, you used to shoot yourself in the head when you were bored".

"Well, yeah. But I'm me".

"Don't remind me. Ok, Savannah dear, time to get off the big dog".

"Do I have to?"

"Sorry, sweetie. But I'm afraid you can't keep Lockjaw". I extend my arms and lift her off of his back.

"By, Lockjaw. Be a good dog".

"Woof". Lockjaw starts to lick her face and she starts giggling. It's so cute. Maybe I'll get her a dog, if I survive this crazy plan. I can't believe I came up with this. This is like something Wade would come up with.

"Hey, Lockjaw. Think you can teleport me one last time".

"Woof".

"Good boy. Let's go". We teleport to the Australian coast, and I can spot the Hellicarrier just off shore. "Get to the moon and tell Blackagar where the ship is". I can't believe I just asked a dog to take a message to a robot.

"Woof". Lockjaw teleports away. Time to make some noise.

I fly straight towards the Hellicarrier, and hope like hell that it spots me. Apparently it does, because a wave of air-to-air missiles is now headed directly at me. I shoot them all down before they can reach me. The Hellicarrier has just launched SkyNet aerial drones. A lot of aerial drones. This is not good.

"All right you metal mother $%^&#*! You want me! Come get me!"

I engage the drones in air-to-air combat. I use Ms. Marvel's energy blasts, Havoc's plasma bursts, and Cyclops' laser eyes to destroy their engines and drop them straight into the Pacific. No matter how many drones I drop into the ocean, the Hellicarrier always manages to launch more. It's like they have a factory on board. Missiles are coming at me from the drones and from the Hellicarrier itself. I am using every aerial manoeuvre I know to avoid the incoming missiles and blast them out of the sky.

"Is that all you got! Come on you worthless pieces of AAA!"

I've been hit from behind. Man, how did I let that happen? I was careless and now I am diving headfirst into the Pacific Ocean. I've got to heal fast and pull up or I'm done. The drones are still chasing me, firing missiles and machineguns. Fortunately, I recover at the last moment and pull out of the dive. I think I can spot Blackagar making his approach on the Hellicarrier. Now to make sure that the Terminators do not spot him.

I blast my way through the drones and charge the Hellicarrier. The closer I get to the ship, the more drones and missiles are launched to stop me. Eventually, I get within range of the ships big guns which open fire on me. I come about as fast as possible and try to get them to chase me. It works. They are all focuses on my destruction. Now to just stay alive long enough for Blackagar to make his move.

Missiles are exploding all around me. Machine gun bullets and cannon shells are zooming past me. I am now flying backwards so that I may return fire and destroy as many of my pursuers as possible, and keep the rest occupied. Finally, I watch the Hellicarrier explode as the blue flash of the Chorus Sentries' scream bursts through the hull. In a matter of seconds, the massive aircraft carrier is vaporized. The remaining drones come about and attempt to engage the Chorus Sentry, but it flies directly towards them and screams. Its scream obliterates every hostile in the skies. Unfortunately, I am struck in the back of the head by a piece of falling debris. I'm knocked out. The last thing I see is the Blackagar Chorus Sentry annihilating everything in its path.

I'm.....I'm breathing! I didn't drown. What happened? Why aren't I dead? There is a hand running through my hair. I'd know that hand anywhere. It's Catherine. Did Lockjaw teleport me home before I hit the water? I open my eyes and see the relieved face of my robotic girlfriend.

"Hey".

"Hey! Um, not that I'm ungrateful, but why I am still breathing? Did someone catch me?"

"Not exactly. Did you know that Fury had submarines operating off of the Australian coast?"

"Submarines?"

"They picked you up right after you hit the water. You owe that man a big thank you when he returns from Asgard".

"I always owe that man a big thank you. What happened to the Chorus Sentry?"

"It flew back to Hala. Your plan worked, by the way. The Hellicarrier and all of its Hunter Killers were destroyed. How's your head?"

"Much better, especially now that you're here". She smiles and kisses me. I nearly died today, but it all worked out in the end. Chalk up another victory for the good guys.


	22. Chapter 22

X-Men Termination: Part XXII

Christmas day, 2009. I can hear, or rather smell everyone around that big tree in the lobby. Well, almost everyone. I wish I could have gotten a present for Catherine, but they don't let mutants into shopping malls anymore. This world is so messed up. I might as well see what everyone else got for everyone else.

"Good morning".

"Morning Mirror. Merry Freaking Christmas".

"Merry freaking Christmas, Wade. Happy Hanukah Weasel".

"Happy Hanukah, Mirror. That reminds me, I brought you some of my mother's latkes. I remembered that you liked them".

"Thanks, Weasel".

"What's a latke?" Savannah looks very happy this morning. Why shouldn't she? She's six years old and its Christmas.

"Potato pancakes. They're pretty good, you should try one".

"I told ya, Sweetie. Jews eat weird food". Note to self, smack Wade when Savannah is not in the room.

"Look what Wade got me". A derringer! He got a six year old a derringer!

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? YOU GAVE A SIX YEAR OLD A GUN?! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

"DMY, Mirror. The kid needs to be able to defend herself, and guns are so much easier to use than knives or bayonets".

"Wade, it's a bloody derringer! It carries two bullets and the calibre couldn't stop a hamster. What possible use could that be against a heavily armoured robot?" Wade looks over at Weasel. Something is up.

"You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what? What's going on?"

"Robots aren't the only things working for SkyNet, Mirror. I was just trying to find a way to explain it".

"You mean humans? That's bull! SkyNet intends to exterminate the human race. Who in their right mind would work for someone that is trying to exterminate them?"

"Some very short sighted individuals".

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard".

"It's also true", adds John. "There are humans that work for SkyNet".

"Humans! Such a stupid race".

"Like mutants are any better?"

"Touché, Wade. WADE! Not in front of the kid". Wade stops walking towards Cameron, turns towards me, and smiles. If you look up inappropriate in the dictionary, you would see his picture.

"Now, to change the subject: there is a large package with my name on it. What is it? A bomb? Some sort of booby trap?"

"It's a karaoke machine".

"Seriously? You bought me a karaoke machine?"

"Not sure how it got here. I bought it before Osborn took over. You know, back when I still had a SHIELD credit card and....civil rights". Wade places his arm around my shoulder.

"As some famous guy once said: this too shall pass".

"Amen. Now, let's get back to the Christmas spirit. By the way, I notice that Sarah is not here. Where is she, anyway?"

"Um, Mirror? Could I speak to you in private?" John looks worried. Something is wrong, very wrong.

"Pas problem, mon General". We walk up the stairs together, side by side. He seems very worried.  
"What's the trouble?"

"Mom went out to get supplies and she didn't come back. I didn't want to say anything down there because I didn't want to upset Savannah".

"You're a good man, John Connor. Have you sent anyone to look for her?"

"We don't know where to start. We don't all have, how do I put this, a nose for trouble".

"Say no more. I'll find her. Chin up, General. Everything's going to be fine".

"I hope you're right". So do I, John. So do I.

I make up some excuse to leave the building, and instantly pick up Sarah's scent. I follow it to the grocery store, and find the car we temporarily borrowed abandoned in a back alley. Scent's still strong; she must have been abducted relatively recently. Just follow the scent and it will lead you to Sarah. Please be alive, Sarah. I promised your son that everything would be alright.

The scent leads me to a warehouse on the other side of town. Sarah's on the second floor, so I fly up to the window that is closest to the scent. Inside, I spot Sarah tied to a chair and surrounded by some very unpleasant men. They all have a scent, which means that their human. Weasel was right: humans are working to end their own race. What a bunch of dumbasses.

"Tell us where the rest of your friends are and we'll let you go". Sarah doesn't react. She just stares blankly forward. "Not feeling talkative?" The man pulls a taser out of his pocket and jabs her repeatedly in the neck. She screams in pain, but refuses to cooperate.

"Hey, Al. I think we've been going about this the wrong way. If she were a man, the first place we'd shock..." He pulls down her pants and underwear, "would be right here". The man grabs the taser. He wouldn't. He couldn't. The moment I hear Sarah scream, I lose it.

"Say hello to my pointy friends". I teleport into the room and impale the man with my claws. Everyone else in the room pulls out their guns. I now have pistols, shotguns, and AK 47s pointed at me.

"Our fight is not with you, mutie. Leave now and this won't get ugly".

"I am going to kill you all".

"Well, we warned you. Open fire". I get shot in every part of my body, but I heal as fast as I can. Some of these animals just messed themselves.

"He's not going down! Why isn't he going down?"

"Like you said, I'm a mutie". I wait until they need to reload, then I start to slaughter them.

I take the form of the Human Torch and burn them all to death. God help me, I love every moment of this. The sounds of their screams, the smell of burning flesh, the sight of charred bodies. Some choose to reload and fight and I burn them where they stand. Others try to run away and I fly after them, igniting them as the run. I have never enjoyed killing this much. What the hell is wrong with me?

The guys in the room are done (pardon the pun), but they aren't the only bad guys in this building. I hunt them all down and I fry them. Some of them try to escape out the back. I fly through a window, cut off their escape route, and light them all up. Some try to climb down the fire escape, and I fly up and kill them while they climb. Another pile of charred bodies drops to the ground. The rest are hiding in the building, and I take pleasure in finding and killing them. God, what is wrong with me?

"Fie, Fi, Fo, Ferk! I smell the blood of a cowardly jerk!"

I can smell them; they're hiding in the air vents. I fill the vents with flames and listen to them scream. The rest abandon their hiding places and try to make a last stand. They hide behind corners and crates, firing AK 47s at me. I am burning so hot that the bullets melt before they reach my skin. I fly down every hallway of the warehouse, burning everything and everyone in my path.

"Burn baby burn! Psycho inferno! Burn baby burn! Burn these mother's down!"

Did I suddenly switch minds with Wade? I am enjoying burning people to death! My path is marked with charred bodies in every hallway, every room, and every corridor of this building. It seems that I missed a few. I can smell some men running for their cars. I fly out, cut them off in the parking lot, and kill them all.

"Lousy freaking traitors! Get used to flames, because that's what you'll see for eternity". Once I have finished off every last one of them, I fly back to Sarah and cut her loose.

"Sorry it took so long. I had some pests to exterminate". I transform my right arm into ice. "Would you like me to soothe that?"

"NO! Sorry, no. It's already healing". I pick her up.

"Good. And away we go". I fly out of another window and begin to circle the building. I have one last thing to do.

"Um, do you think we could go back for my pants?"

"Sorry, but there won't be much left after I light those up".

"Light what?" She spots the large fuel tanks that I am currently aiming at. "You wouldn't".

"It's the only way to explain the charred bodies. Hold on to your butt". I fire at the fuel tanks and they explode, igniting the entire warehouse. As we fly back to base, I notice that Sarah is starting to blush.

"You do know that I didn't mean any offense by the hold on to your butt remark, right?"

"It's not that. It's....you're holding my left cheek".

"I'm holding your....OH! Um, if you'd like, I can fly you back to base telekinetically".

"No, just....don't tell anyone about this. Ok?"

"I don't think I'll have to".

"What do you....." She notices that we are nearly at the base."No".

"Sorry".

"No".

"Hold tight".

"NO!" I phase us through the walls and land in the lobby. The others are drinking eggnog. John sees us, drops his glass, and runs towards us.

"Mom! My God, what happened? Where are your....are those burns?"

"John, it's not polite to look at your mother's..." John covers his face and turns around.

"Oh God no! I wasn't....I wasn't trying to....I didn't mean to..." Wade bursts out laughing.

"You are one sick bastard".

"I imitate the people that I meet, which unfortunately includes you".

"Hey, those burns look like they are healing. Do you have a healing factor?"

"She has his healing factor. And Weasel, it's not polite for you either".

"Sorry. No offense ma'am. I'm assuming this is why you asked for a bathrobe?" Sarah looks up at me.

"Long range telepathic contact. A trick I learned from Professor X". I carry her over to Weasel and help her into the bathrobe.

"Thank you".

"It was nothing".

"No, I mean thank you for saving me".

"It's what I do. Rescue pretty damsels, kill bad guys, cover my tracks so it doesn't come back on the mutant community".

"You think I'm pretty?"

"Ok, my turn to feel uncomfortable". John throws his arms around his mother's neck.

"Thank God you're all right. More or less".

"You're welcome". I love my job. I just wish I didn't enjoy the killing part so much. What the hell was that about?


	23. Chapter 23

X-Men Termination: Part XXIII

After Sarah has had time to recover, I summon everyone into the lobby. It is time to set some new ground rules. What happened to Sarah was inexcusable. It will never happen again. Not while I'm here.

"Most importantly, no human will ever leave this place without a non-human companion. If you have to leave, you will take either Cameron, Catherine, Wade, John Henry, or myself with you. No one else is going to be taken and tortured".

"John Henry? Seriously? If you want to take him for protection, you've gotta do some reprogramming. Because he's useless the way he is".

"No, Wade, we do not have to do any reprogramming. Do you know why? Because reprogramming a sentient being is illegal, immoral, and just plain wrong. Do you understand me? I would not even consider reprogramming Ultron, and he is a genocidal monster that is hell-bent on taking over the world for robots".

"Like SkyNet?"

"Sarah, Ultron is not quite like SkyNet. He's not as sophisticated and he exists within a single, physical entity. He is not a massive supercomputer that exists within every machine with an internet connection. Ultron can be attacked, and he can be destroyed".

"You know who else can be attacked and destroyed? John Henry and he won't fight back. So, unless you want to lose your unofficial step-son, you have to take action and...."

"NO WADE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! UNDERSTAND?"

"Fine. We leave him the way he is. Don't blame me when his pacifism gets someone killed".

"Just shut up, Wade. Ok?" I notice Cameron looking at John. Both John and Sarah look very uncomfortable. Something is up. Why am I always the last one to find out? "What is it?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why are you looking at John? Cameron, did John try to do something to you?" She hesitates for a moment, and then answers my question.

"No. Nothing happened". She's lying, but I don't have time to press the matter. I smell something. John and Cameron will have to wait. "Everyone get ready. We have company".

"SkyNet?" inquires John.

"Robots to bash? Humans to smack? A flying smelly dude?" I am going to hit him so hard he will fly through a wall.

"HAMMER! They're right outside. Time to open the door for them".

I run right in front of the main doors and obliterate them with a telekinetic blast. The blast sends HAMMER agents flying through the air, landing on their backsides. I rush outside and spot dozens of other HAMMER agents flying towards us on Goblin Gliders. This is too easy. Osborn is such an idiot. If he ever makes it out of Asgard, I have to pay him a visit.

I fly up to meet the glider troops, and use Storm's chain lighting attack to electrocute them. They scream in pain as they fall off their gliders and hit the pavement. The guys that tried to get through the front door start to get up, and I electrocute them as well. HAMMER drop-ships converge on our location, and I shoot them down using laser vision. I must look like a bipedal anti-aircraft gun; firing bursts of lasers to destroy multiple targets in quick succession. HAMMER is coming out in force, and I am going to annihilate them. Apache helicopters move in to destroy me, and I destroy them with lighting strikes.

"Is this all you got? A group of grunts with guns? Osborn, you are a moron!"

"Aye, but they did not come alone". Ares. The God of War. I am in trouble.

I have no idea where he came from, but Ares just drops out of the sky, almost directly on top of me. I teleport out of the way, just as his axe is about to split me in half. Instead, he splits the street in half. If I'm going to survive this, I'm going to need to get something from my room. Here's hoping that I'm faster than a God.

"MIRROR! SHOW YOURSELF! THE GOD OF WAR CHALLENGES YOU TO SINGLE COMBAT". I grab my sword and head out to meet him.

"I'm right here, you coward".

"What did you just say?"

"First you leave Asgard, where you are needed. Then you wait for me to slaughter the grunts before you move in to finish me off. You are a coward".

"You tell'em, Mirror. Just wait for us to get out of the building". Thanks for the support, Wade.

"RAAAA!"

Ares comes charging at me. I unsheathe my sword and hope that I did not just write my own death sentence. Ares takes a wide swing with his axe, which I dodge and then fly straight into him as fast as I can. If he had been thinking clearly, he would have realized that this is exactly what I wanted. Whenever you encounter someone that is a better fighter than you and you want to kill them, call them a coward. It will make things so much easier. Because he lost his temper, the God of War has just been impaled on my sword.

"UH!" Ares collapses. "You're sword.....I did not realize......that you could create a valkyrie's blade".

"I didn't. This was a gift, for my role in stopping Doctor Doom from destroying existence".

"What?"

"Years ago, Doctor Doom stole the powers of the Gods, conquered Asgard, and nearly destroyed existence. SHIELD asked for help and I answered, along with the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Avengers. How did you think I learned all of these powers, by watching the television?" Another HAMMER drop-ship approaches our position, waving a white flag.

"Hold your fire! We're just here to evacuate Ares". They land and the medics lift up the stricken God and carry him to the drop-ship.

"Hey, HAMMER morons. Tell Osborn that if he ever bothers me or my family again, I will personally hunt down and destroy every last HAMMER agent. Understood?"

"Y-Yes sir. Sorry to bother you, sir. It won't happen again, sir".

"Good. Now get the hell out of here. If you value your lives, you will not come back".

The HAMMER agents pile back into the drop-ship and take off. I walk back into the hotel and block off the entrance using an ice beam. That will hold until we can rebuild the doorway. Why didn't we insure this building? I doubt even the Baxter Building gets hit as often as we do.

"Well, that was fun. Osborn is either getting board, or getting more paranoid than usual".

"Or he's just a nutcase".

"We already know that, Wade".

"HAMMER really put on a show here. Has someone been bad?" Yo-Yo is standing next to John.

"When did you get here?"

"Right before you closed off the entrance. My arms need repairs, and there is only one genius that knows how to do that". Is John blushing? "What do you say, wonder boy? Care to strap me to your table?" Are they flirting?

"I would like nothing better. Follow me to the chamber of horrors".

"I can't wait". They are flirting. Yo-Yo and John head off to the lab. The rest of us are standing around the lobby.

"Ok. Now that my son is off fiddling with the young superhero, could someone tell me what just happened?"

"Easy. Norman Osborn is a nutcase and he sent his soldiers here to kill us. I killed them first. They sent the God of War himself to strike me down, and I struck him down instead. This should either scare Osborn so that he doesn't come after us again, or get him so pissed off that he nukes the whole area. Here's hoping that he's not that crazy". We hear Yo-Yo shriek.

"NO! DON'T!" What the hell is going on up there? I teleport into the lab and spot Yo-Yo with her metal arms strapped to a table, John sitting in front of here and....another John standing behind her and tickling her sides?

"What the...."

"Mirror, say hello to Connor Life Model Decoy 1. I just finished him".

"Greetings".

"You're going to have to do something about his speech pattern. He has to convince the enemy that he is you".

"He also needs to stop tickling me, or you will die laughing in bed tonight". John starts laughing and waves off the LMD.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. With you being strapped down and all".

"So you like me strapped down, do you John". Have they forgotten that I am in the room?

"Um, what's going on?" They both start laughing.

"Are we making you uncomfortable, Mirror?"

"No, I, um, I have to go clean Anduril".

"Anduril?"

"The Lord of the Rings is my favourite book, so I named the sword Anduril".

"Great job, by the way, taking down Ares. Fury will be proud".

"Can't really take the credit. If it hadn't been for Anduril, Ares would have gotten back up and sliced me in half. By the way, how is Fury?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. Everything that happens in Asgard is classified".

"Why am I not surprised? Fix her arms and send her back to the front".

"She'll be ready to go in the morning".

"Good. Oh, before I leave: what happened between you and Cameron?"

"Excuse me?"

"Despite being built as an infiltration unit, Cameron is a terrible liar. Did you try to reprogram her?" John looks me straight in the eyes.

"Mirror, Joshua, I swear on my mother's life that I did not try to reprogram Cameron".

"Ok, I believe you". I don't. "See you in the morning".

In the morning, I go upstairs to wake up John and tell him that breakfast is ready. Instead of John, Yo-Yo answers the door wearing one of John's shirts. Only wearing one of John's shirts. Awkward does not begin to describe the situation.

"Sleep well, Yo-Yo?"

"We didn't do much sleeping".

"I thought you were going to say that. Both of you get dressed, breakfast is ready".

After breakfast, Yo-Yo and John kiss each other goodbye and she zooms off to rejoin the fighting in Asgard. John and Sarah leave the table so that they may discuss things in private. For his sake, I hope Yo-Yo makes it through this war. Either way, things are going to get a lot more complicated around here.


	24. Chapter 24

X-Men Termination: Part XXIV

Apparently, SkyNet had Sarah abducted because it didn't know where we were. It thought that we had pulled out of here. After all, why would we stay somewhere that they could attack? The battle with HAMMER revealed that we were still in the same place as before. Now they are hitting us, and they are hitting us hard.

"TRIPLE EIGHTS! LEFT FLANK! BLAST THEM!" I do.

"HAHAHA! TOO EASY!" The front of the building has almost been demolished and the Terminators are pouring into the lobby, but we are holding our ground. "BAM! ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!" This is almost like target practice.

Derrick, Cameron, and Wade are on the second floor, acting like snipers. I am in the lobby, firing energy blasts at the heads of the Terminators. I am destroying them as quickly as they are running into the lobby. This battle won't last long. In fact, it is as though they are not even trying. What are they up to?

"BOOM! SEE YA LATER, TERMINATOR!" Ok, even I'll admit that was a bad quip. No matter. I go full power Ms. Marvel and destroy them all. After the last Terminator falls, I spot someone that makes my hair stand on end. Victor Von Doom.

"Mr. Plotkin, we will have words".

"I've got words for you: KISS MY...."

"VISTULLANTI!" I teleport behind him just in time to see a T-1000 explode. It must have slithered behind me while I was busy with the T-888s. Did Dr. Doom just save my life? "You owe me".

"Great job, you idiot. It will reform itself".

"SERRA ILLUMANATI". The fragments of the T-1000 spontaneously combust and evaporate. I have got to learn some magic. Wait, Dr. Doom just saved my life! What the hell?

"Um, thank you. But why?"

"You will assist me in destroying Norman Osborn".

"What?"

"Osborn's head has grown too large for his helmet. You will help me bring about his downfall".

"Ok, let me think. NO! I am not going to help one of the most powerful and influential lunatics in the world kill another one. Or did you think that I'd forgotten about the time you almost ended existence".

"That was an incident, and Norman Osborn is a threat to both of us. Besides, you will not have to eliminate him. You only need to eliminate his empire. After all, it is trying to eliminate you".

"Yeah? Well, I think I can handle HAMMER. Thank you for your time. The door was right behind you".

"Were you aware that Terminators are constructed by a company called Cyberdine?"

"Wait, what? How do you...."

"Were you also aware that Cyberdine was purchased by the Department of Defence? You must be aware of who is in charge of the Department of Defence".

"Norman Osborn. That lying son of a.... Wait, was Cyberdine incorporated into Oscorp?"

"Now you realize how our fates are intertwined. Destroy Oscorp, ensure the survival of your race. Norman Osborn is your enemy and he is mine".

"I'll go after Osborn, but not with you. If the Asgardians learn that I'm working with you, they'll kill me on sight".

"You need not journey to Asgard. I believe your target should be in New York". Doom disappears. I'm working with Victor Von Doom. The world has truly gone mad.

"EVERYONE! GET DOWN HERE! WE HAVE A NEW PROBLEM".

The plan is simple enough: I teleport everyone to New York and we assault Avengers Tower. We all fight our way up to the main computers, where John will plant a virus. After all, the Skrulls were able to take down the entire Starktech network from Avengers Tower. If I know Osborn, he will not expect anyone to try the same trick. He is that stupid and that arrogant. Stark facilities had self-destruct systems that could be triggered by remote. Hopefully, Oscorp has the same thing. Let's see how well SkyNet can fight without factories.

We teleport into the lobby of the tower, and Wade makes some off-color comment. I don't pay attention. I just blast the guards with laser vision and the assault begins. Since we are fighting humans, there is no need for any fancy stuff. Everyone is carrying an M16, except for Catherine and I; as previously stated, we do not need weapons because we are weapons.

"YAHOO! NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!" Wade runs out in-front of us and gets shot to hell. "Ouch!" His stupidity just caused the HAMMER soldiers to give away their positions. They're just as stupid as he is. I electrocute them and then rush over to Wade.

"You alright?"

"Already healed. Let's kick some ass".

"Sarah, Derrick. You both stay here and keep our exit open. Everyone else, ONWARD!"

As we advance through the tower, John stays behind Cameron. I'm in the lead, Cameron's on my right, Wade on my left. Everyone in the building, with the exception of Catherine and I, is firing an M16. We get hit, we keep going. They get hit, they die. It's like a shooting gallery in here. I'm using laser vision and the others are blasting away with M16s. Catherine runs up to the enemy and slits their throats. The floors are covered with bodies and blood.

"Third floor, main computers. Cameron, Catherine, Wade: you keep them busy while I get the genius to the computers".

"Aye aye, oh Mirror my Mirror".

"Good luck, Joshua".

"Keep John safe or I will destroy you". Cameron is as charming as ever.

They run off to deal with the HAMMER reinforcements, while we go to deal with the computers. There are a few more guards, which I quickly eliminate. John looks a bit jumpy, pointing his M16 in every direction. I have to grab him and drag him to the computes.

"Will you stay focused?"

"My family is out there, fighting for their lives".

"If you don't do this John, then your family is going to die along with my entire race. Most of your race will also die. So stay focused, and we will win this thing. Besides, your mother has a healing factor and Cameron is bulletproof".

"My uncle isn't, but I see your point. I'm in. Whoa. Looks like your friend Dr. Doom was telling the truth".

"He is not my friend. What have you found?"

"The design schematics for the Hunter Killers, the T-1s, even a few new ones like the MotoTerminator, a Terminator that is the size of a Sentinel, and the T-800. Oscorp is like one stop shopping for SkyNet".

"Delete the schematics, erase the research, and blow up the factories. This should give SkyNet a massive headache".

"I'm on it. But it will take some time". We can hear the sounds of machine gun fire and men screaming.

"We might not have that much time, John". The shooting intensifies, and the sound of grenades exploding joins the symphony of the battle.

"I'm going as fast as I can. I hope they're alright".

"Machine guns can't hurt them. It's us I'm worried about".

"Mom and Derrick aren't indestructible. Neither is Cameron. She's just really hard to kill".

"Will you please focus on destroying Oscorp?" The screams are getting closer. "Any time now, John".

"This will go a lot faster if you would stop bothering me". The battle seems to be intensifying. If something happens to John, I would never forgive myself. Cameron and Sarah would never forgive me either.

Men scream, guns fire, and things explode. It must be a total slaughterhouse out there. I want to join them, so does John. But that is not why we are here. Besides, killing HAMMER grunts won't win this war. Stop the production of Hunter Killers and Terminators; THAT might just give us the advantage we need. Assuming that John can trigger the self destruct mechanisms and wipe out of the files related to the Terminator projects before the HAMMER grunts can shoot him.

"Hasta la vista, baby".

"You did it?"

"All files deleted. Total systems failure imminent. We should probably get out of here".

We run out of the computer room and find piles of dead HAMMER soldiers. The tower looks like a warzone. Two more HAMMER soldiers rush towards us and Catherine cuts them down. Three more try to escape, and Cameron shoots them. They're good. They're very good. Wait, where's Wade?

"YAHOO!" That answers my question. "That's right, run! Run, run as fast as you can".

"WADE! Stop chasing the HAMMERs. We're leaving".

"Was your mission successful?" Cameron seems anxious. I wonder why.

"Yes, and our intel was correct. Oscorp manufactures all of SkyNet's hardware. That ends now".

We teleport into the tower lobby and grab Sarah and Derrick, then we all teleport to a rooftop across the street from Avengers Tower and wait for the fireworks. Like clockwork, the tower's self destruct mechanism activates and we watch the entire structure implode. Osborn's HQ has been demolished.

"Every Oscorp facility around the world has been neutralized. We did it".

"No, John. You did it. Great job. Remind me to buy you a beer when you turn 18".

We all pat John on the back and then head for home. Without Oscorp, SkyNet can no longer rely on air support. Not only that, but the development of all Terminators has just been set back for months, maybe years. We no longer have to deal with enemy vehicles or heavy Terminators. The tide has turned in our favour. We might just win this thing after all.


	25. Chapter 25

X-Men Termination: Part XXV

I wake up to the sounds of screaming. What now? I leave my room and a red demon tries to jump on me. I blast it and then head off to look for the others. Demons! Where the hell did demons come from? Ok, dumb question. I know where they came from, but what are they doing here? I'll worry about that later. I have to see if everyone is alright.

"Get off me you little bastards". That was Catherine.

I run in the direction of her voice, and a disembowelled demon flies through the doorway. Two more come running out of the room, and she slices them both to ribbons. Another demon soars out of Cameron's room, followed by Cameron. A demon leaps onto her back and she snaps its neck. We are fighting demons hand to hand.

"You ok, Cameron".

"I am fine".

"Where's Wade?"

"WOOHOO!"

Wade leaps out of his room with a machinegun in each hand. The demons follow him and he shoots them down. More demons come out of the other rooms and we fight them off. I fire energy blasts, Catherine cuts their heads off, Wade shoots them and Cameron snaps their necks. I haven't seen the others. Please, God, let them be alright.

"I CAST YOU OUT!" John Henry crashes through a wall, holding a demon by the throat. It tries to bite him, and he bashes its head in.

"Ok, so you're willing to kill a demon. That is good to know".

"They took Savannah".

"John, Sarah, and Derrick have also disappeared".

"I know where they are. They've been taken to the land of fire and brimstone".

"We must save them". John Henry looks like he is going to have a panic attack.

"We will save them, John Henry. I promise you. First, I need to get a few things".

"We have no time to lose. We must save them from the torments of hell".

"Will you calm down? If we go in there, guns blazing, we will lose. If we're going to save them, we need a few things. First, I need to go to New York and borrow a very important device. Then, I need to see a special man in New Orleans".

"Why is he so special?"

"He can stand up to the red man himself and survive the encounter". That bit of information seems to calm down John Henry. I have to hurry. God only knows what is happening to them in Mephisto's realm.

Well, I got what I had to get. Everyone seems ready. You ok in here, Doc? Of course I am, my friend. Just relax and allow me to control your body. If you say so, Doc. It's hard to believe that I am now sharing a body with Doctor Strange himself. I'm opening the portal to Mephisto's realm. Remain calm, my young friend, and we shall free your companions. Remember, you cannot defeat Mephisto in battle. You must outsmart him. I will Doc, I will.

Doctor Strange does exactly what he said he would; he opened a portal and we crossed into Mephisto's realm. God, it is so freaking hot in here. A pack of demons charge at us, and I say some magic words that I can't even pronounce to destroy them. Well, Doctor Strange said the magic words and used me as a conduit. Magic symbols float around me as demons are magically blasted in every direction. Am I floating? Levitating, my young friend. Doctor, please do not correct my interior monologue. My apologies please continue. This is going to be a long day.

A flock or swarm or whatever of flying demons swoops in to attack us. I (we?) say some magic words and they spontaneously combust in midair. I am starting to feel like a puppet here. Doc, do you think you could summon my board here? I'm sure that the form of the Silver Surfer should be more than enough to handle these losers. In Mephisto's realm, the Power Cosmic is not nearly as effective as the former Master of the Mystic Arts. If you say so, Doc, but I am really feeling useless here.

A giant demon charges at us with a sword. A few more magic words and it transforms into a box. I could have done that with a hex-bolt! My apologies, I will let you take the next one. Thanks Doc, it will make me feel a little less useless. Demon leapers surround us and the Doc summons a wall of fire to burn them all. I really need to learn magic. Two more giant demons come at us and I take them down with hex-bolts before the Doc lights them up with another spell.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Um, I didn't. Look, it's complicated. I'll explain everything after we take down the big guy".

"You mean that big guy?" Another giant demon. Where are these guys coming from?

"No, I mean the guy that is even taller than him. Excuse me. WINDS OF DESTINY CHANGE!"

I zap it with a hex-bolt and it transforms into a crate. Please, let me finish it off this time. He's all yours. Thank you, Doctor. A burst of laser vision turns the crate into kindling. Two more demon leapers jump off of a cliff and try to land on us, but I blast them both and Doctor Strange disintegrates them with another spell. When this is over, he has to teach me how to do that.

"HOLD! I smell Sarah. Follow me".

I follow the scent, just as I did the last time she was kidnapped. After disintegrating small hoards of demons, I find the others. They are all chained to rocks, forming a semi-circle around Mephisto. I see that Balckheart isn't here. They must have had another one of their "son tries to kill father" things. Take five, Doctor. I've got this one.

"You look different, Doctor. A lot shorter than I remember. Are you afraid to face me yourself?"

"Give me my companions and I won't crush you".

"I was not talking to you, little man".

"Well, I was talking to you, delusional evil man".

"YOU? Ha! You are not worthy of speaking with Mephisto".

"Why are you referring to yourself in the third person? Are you a queen?"

"Mind your mouth, mutant".

"I seem to remember Jean Grey kicking your big red ass during the Doctor Doom fiasco".

"You are not Jean Grey". He has a point. Jean Grey's one of the most powerful mutants to ever walk the Earth. However, Jean Grey didn't have Reed Richard's in her corner.

"Do you carry such a big sword because you have such a small...."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

That is one seriously pissed off devil. As he runs towards me, sword drawn, I reach behind me and pull out Reed's Ultimate Nullifier. Just wait until he is closer and.....ZAP! I got him. Bye-Bye Mephisto. The devil himself falls before me and collapses on the ground

"No! NO! RAAAA!"

"YES! The bigger they are the more stupid they look when I beat them". John Henry is staring at me. He looks like he is in shock. "You alright?"

"You felled the devil".

"Yes, I did. Come on, let's get everyone". I run over to the stones and cut their chains with Adamantium claws. "How you feeling, Sarah?"

"Let's just say that flannel pyjamas are too hot for hell. By any chance, did you bring some socks?"

"Sorry. Have you taken any fire-walking classes? Seriously, the ground is a lot cooler than you'd think. Just don't wander off the path or you'll melt".

"Stay on the path or I melt, got it".

"Boxers, Derrick? Really?"

"I didn't plan on being chained to a rock for everyone to see".

"I'm sure you didn't. John, do you always wear jeans to bed?"

"You never know when we will be attacked".

"True. The boy goes to bed dressed for battle and the robot walks around in her underwear. Just something to think about. Savannah, honey are you ok?"

"I'm scared".

"Don't be. We're going to take you home. Doctor Strange? Exit, please". Strange's astral form exits my body and creates a portal. "Oh, I'll need another one to get to New York. I have to return the Ultimate Nullifier".

"Um, Joshua?"

"Magic is the one thing that I can't imitate. So, I went to New Orleans and asked for a little help from the Sorcerer Supreme".

"Former Sorcerer Supreme".

"Doctor, you will always be THE sorcerer in my book. Thank you for everything".

"Strange. You and I will have words later". Mephisto knows how to ruin a moment.

"Shut up". I blast him again with the Ultimate Nullifier.

"RAAAA!"

"Finish him" demands John Henry. I turn to the Doctor, and he shakes his head.

"Sorry, John Henry. If Doctor Strange says no, then it's no".

"What does the great Doctor Strange have to say about your headquarters, mutant?" What is he talking about? I should zap that annoying devil again. Strange phases through the portal and then returns.

"I am afraid he is right. Your headquarters has been destroyed".

"What? How? By who?"

"Isn't it obvious, you foolish mutant. SkyNet asked for my help in luring you away from your headquarters. Retaliation for destroying its facilities".

"Why would you want to help SkyNet?"

"Have we met, I am Mephisto! SkyNet wishes to destroy your world. Of course I would help". That's it. I zap him one last time. "RAAAA!"

"Shut up! Ok. Everyone through the New York portal. We'll figure out what to do later. Mephisto, you stay down or so help me, I will kill you. Let's go. Strange, thanks again".

"You are quite welcome, my friend".

A lookie loo. It was a lookie loo and we fell for it. SkyNet will pay for this. No one makes me look like a fool and gets away with it.


	26. Chapter 26

X-Men Termination: Part XXVI

I must say, the Baxter Building is a lot cleaner than our old hotel. Johnny's on the roof, waiting for our ride. God help him if he tries to borrow it. I can't wait get to our new base of operations. With the X-Mansion and my hometown destroyed, the Hellicarriers are the closest thing to a home I have left. John is going to plotz when he sees all of the cool tech he can play with. First, I have to check on everybody and make a call to the closest thing we have to a spiritual adviser. After the Mephisto incident, we are going to need him.

"Hey, Reese. How are you?"

"I am not wearing this". Is holding one of the FF's uniforms?

"Ok. Um, why would you wear that?"

"Because I don't want to run around in my boxers all day".

"Fine, so what's the problem?"

"They're freaking tights! What am I, a ballerina?"

"Watch it, big mouth. I wore a uniform just like that in the X-Men".

"Sorry, but come on! I am not wearing tights".

"Fine. Just make sure the mouse stays in the house". Reese sort of laughs at my comment. Then we hear some soft voices shrieking. "What was that?"

"The kids are playing Skrull invasion, whatever that is". SKRULL! I HATE SKRULLS! Calm down, deep breaths. It's just a game, right?

"They're using Doombots, right? No real Skrulls? Ok, that was a stupid question. The Skrulls are almost extinct. I'd be surprised if there were any left in this country or even on this planet".

"O.....k".

"I'm going to check on them, just in case".

"Are you alright?"

"I hate Skrulls".

"I can see that. Why?"

"They killed my family, my friends, and my neighbours". I don't wait to see his reaction. Frankly, I don't care what Derrick Reese thinks. I care about Savannah, and making sure that she is safe. Franklin, Val, and Savannah are in a room together, playing Avengers vs. Skrulls.

"Val, Savannah, hit them on both flanks. I'll go up the middle. For Earth!"

"Um, what's a flank?"

"Franklin wants you to attack them on the left, and I will attack them on the right".

"Why didn't he just say attack them on the left?"

"He's a boy. Why do they say anything?" It's nice to know that superkids are still just kids.

"Attack who, Val?"

"The Skrulls".

"Where!" Claws pop out instinctively. I really need to deal with my anger issues, especially those regarding Skrulls.

"They're only pretend Skrulls, uncle-Mirror". It's interesting that she calls me uncle Mirror. The kids call everyone else by their real names. I'm called Mirror. Not sure how to handle that. Speaking of handle, time to retract the claws.

"Sorry, it's just that I have a thing about Skrulls".

"Who doesn't? They wrecked most of the planet".

"Very true, Franklin. Have you seen John and Sarah?"

"They're in the next room".

"Thanks. Have fun killing pretend Skrulls". It's nice to see Savannah playing with children her own age. Well, Val is two, but she has the maturity of a six year old. That's one of the drawbacks of the superhero lifestyle; you don't have time to be a kid.

"Sarah, John, may I come in?"

"Sure thing".

I walk into the room and spot Sarah wearing one of Susan's uniforms. Which is interesting, because Sarah is shorter than Sue Storm. In my natural state, Sarah and I are about the same size (about 5 foot 5). I just use my powers to look taller. Maybe I have a Napoleon complex or something, but I don't like being short.

"Nice uniform".

"Thank you. I borrowed it from Sue. It's better than running around in pyjamas all day".

"I'm sure it is. How are you?"

"I'm unharmed".

"Great. How are you?"

"I'm fine". She's not. That's why I've asked a mutual friend to meet us on the Hellicarrier.

"Torch to Mirror".

"Go ahead, Torch".

"Your ride's here. It is one sweet ride".

"Don't do anything stupid, Torch. We'll be right up".

"Copy that. Torch out". Sarah looks puzzled, and so does John.

"Ride?"

"Both of you get to the roof. I'll round up the others".

"Why the roof?"

"It's a surprise".

"I don't like surprises".

"Just trust me, Sarah. Ok?" She smiles. I think she really does trust me.

"Ok. See you on the roof".

I gather everyone on the roof and we find exactly what I was hoping to find. Nick Fury has stopped by with one of his flying cars. It's one of those fancy, red sports cars. The type that makes the Torch's mouth water. If he hopes to keep his tongue, he will not drool on that car.

"Um, what's a car doing up here?"

"Fury's cars can fly". John's eyes just light up (not literally, because he is human).

"Seriously? Flying cars?" Fury is grinning.

"Hop in. Your chariot awaits". We all get in, and Fury takes off.

"WHOA! This is so cool. I mean, seriously. It's a freaking flying car". John can be such a nerd sometimes. Then again, so can I.

"Hang on. This is just the icing. Wait till you see the cake".

"There's cake?" Savannah is so cute.

"No, sweetie. The Colonel likes to talk in metaphors. I believe his cake can be seen out your window".

"What are you? WOW! Mommy, look. It's a flying boat".

"Ship, Savannah. It's a ship". Everyone looks out the right side of the car, and spots the Hellicarrier. I do not think I have seen their eyes get that big since I turned a T-888 into a crate.

"My God." I think Sarah just spoke for everyone in this car.

"Connors, Weavers, mutants and madmen, I give you your new home".

"She's smaller than the old one".

"Good observation, Mirror. Take what you can get".

"Aye aye, Colonel". Fury smirks at my remark. To make an eye joke around Nick Fury, you either have a lot of guts or little brains.

We land on the Hellicarrier and I help the others out of the car. Fury takes us on a whirl-wind tour of the flight-deck and the ship. It might be smaller than the old ship, but everything is in the same place. This feels so familiar. I wonder if my old SHIELD uniform still fits.

"And here are your quarters. We're a bit short on space, so you guys are going to have to share. Mirror, Weaver, you get this bunk. Try not to let the whoopee interrupt the work".

"What's whoopee mean?"

"I'll tell you when you are a lot older Savannah".

"John, Yo-Yo, you get this bunk".

"Excuse me, Colonel?"

"Come on kid. I may have one eye, but I ain't blind. Same thing goes for you, don't let the whoopee interrupt the work. Sarah, Cameron, you get this bunk. John Henry, Savannah, you get this one. Keep the kid out of the way. Reese, you bunk with Stonewall. Deadpool, you sleep in the weapon's bay. Cause any trouble and I'll throw you off the flight-deck. Anyone got a problem with the arrangements; I'll stuff you in a missile tube. No? Then get some rest. Tomorrow, we go after the people that blew down your house". God bless that crazy American. We are all much safer with him than without him.

"I'd rather take a look around. Make sure this place is safe". Nightcrawler teleports into the hallway. Good, he got my message. "AAA!" Uh-oh. I rush over to him and make us both intangible just as Sarah opens fire. "My God, Kurt. I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened".

"Easy. He looks like a blue demon".

"True, mein freund. This is not the first time that someone has made that mistake".

"Why are you here?"

"Mirror informed me that you had an....unfortunate experience in Mephisto's realm. Believe me, leibchen, I can relate".

"NO YOU CAN'T! I'm...I'm sorry. It's just....I've never felt so helpless before".

"You are not the first person to be abducted and tormented by Mephisto".

"I was torn from my bed, taken to hell and chained to a rock. There was nothing I could do to protect my son. I felt so, powerless". There are tears in her eyes, but she won't cry. She is too strong and too proud. I wish I had her strength. Nightcrawler places his arm around her shoulders.

"The Lord works in mysterious ways, and he has sent you some powerful protectors. A mutant, a mercenary, and a machine. With them, your son will be safe. Dry your eyes, leibchen, and place your trust in the Lord".

"Those demons, they've taken you too?"

"They have. They are not the only ones. That is one of the drawbacks of being an X-Man; you get a lot of enemies".

"How do you do it Kurt? How do you keep your faith when all of this is happening?"

"We all cope in our own way. Deadpool makes inappropriate jokes. Wolverine slashes things, and Mirror does some combination of the two. I cope through prayer".

"You're a good man, Kurt Wagner".

"Dunca, Frau Connor. Get some rest, I will return when you need me". He teleports away, Sarah turns towards me.

"Thank you. How did you know?"

"I've gotten pretty good at reading people. Everyone get some rest. Tomorrow, we go back to the front lines".


	27. Chapter 27

X-Men Termination: Part XXVII

The job seems simple enough. Fury tells us that SkyNet is trying to create an alliance with Hydra and that there is going to be a meeting tonight. Wade and I will join the Secret Warriors, intercept the two groups before they establish contact, and wipe them out. Hydra is the largest terrorist organization on the planet; we cannot afford to let Hydra join forces with SkyNet. One thing I don't get, how did Fury know about this meeting in the first place?

"Anything?" JT gets impatient during these missions. Wade and Daisy have the binoculars, so they are literally acting as our eyes.

"Not yet. Just sit tight".

"I hate waiting. What's taking Hydra so long?"

"Maybe they had a government to overthrow". JT smirks at Daisy. We are all taking bets on how long it will take for them to hook up. Even Alex knows that something is going on between them, and he's twelve.

"Hey, Wade. Does any of this seem weird to you?"

"Look who you're talking to, then formulate your question".

"Very funny. Seriously, Fury gets an anonymous tip that Hydra is going to meet with the Terminators, and we all jump to prevent it. It sounds like a trap".

"If it is, we'll know in a minute. A limousine just pulled in. Here, take a look". Wade hands me the binoculars. I see Madame Hydra and about a dozen escorts. Wait a minute. That smell! Daisy's issuing attack orders to the Secret Warriors. I'm afraid I have to intervene.

"Hold your positions. I'll handle this".

"Mirror, we act as a unit. MIRROR!"

Too late. I teleport next to the car and slice the Hydra agents to pieces. They shoot me with M16s and AK47s. I heal, slash their weapons to ribbons and then do the same thing to them. Madame Hydra is a different matter. We have never met, but I have smelled her before. Worse, I have smelled her around Nick Fury. Is she a former SHIELD agent? Whoever she is, she tries to strike me with her staff. I cut it in half.

"You fool. You do not realize what you do". I knock her unconscious. Daisy looks pissed.

"God damn it. Next time, you wait for my command. Is that understood?"

"I know her".

"What?"

"Madame Hydra. Well, I don't know her. But I've met her before. She was with Fury, during the old days".

"What are you saying?"

"That Madame Hydra was connected with Nick Fury and SHIELD".

"Do you think she is a double agent? Or was a double agent?"

"We'll ask her when she wakes up. Eden, take her back to Hellicarrier and keep her alive. She's useless to us dead. Everyone else, help me hide these bodies. The Terminators will be here any minute". Jerry starts to lift the bodies, when one of them drops a file.

"HEY! LOOK AT THIS". I do.

"These are Hydra files on Nick Fury, SHIELD, the Howling Commandos.... Whoa, they even have a file on us".

"Seriously?"

"That is not a good picture of you, Wade".

"Looks like the Terminators are getting ready to hit us".

"They'll have to do it without these". I burn all of the files and help Jerry and JT hide the rest of the Hydra agents.

"Ok, we've hid the Hydras. Now what?"

"Now, you go back to the Hellicarrier. I'll handle the Terminators". As Daisy is objecting to my plan, I transform into Madame Hydra. Sometimes, it pays to know shape-shifters. With my natural abilities, I can imitate her voice flawlessly. "It's show time folks".

"Is it weird that I'm attracted to you right now?"

"Wade, just shut up before I blast you into the next state". He snaps to attention and salutes.

"Shutting up sir, or would that be Madame?"

"Stop talking, Deadpool. Eden, take us home. Good luck, Mirror".

"Luck is my middle name".

"I thought your middle name was Charley". On days like this, I really want to hit him.

"Come on, Deadpool".

They all depart, and I am left standing next to a limousine, looking like Madame Hydra. Who is she, and what is her connection to Fury? Focus. The Terminators will be here soon. Pretend to be an ally, and then destroy them. Keep your hand in your robe, so that it looks like you are holding files. I hear motorcycles. Here come the robots.

Five Terminators drive up to the rendezvous point on Motorcycles. Hydra gets Limousines, the Terminators use motorcycles. You've got to admit, motorcycles are a lot cooler than limousines. It's show-time folks. I walk up to them, act cordial, and pretend to hand over the files. Before they can react, I shoot them in the head with energy blasts. Can't leave the bodies here for Hydra. God forbid we let the Baron get his hands on this technology. I teleport back to the Hellicarrier, with the dead Terminators.

" I see you wiped out one group. Care to tell me why you didn't wipe out the other one?"

"Colonel, I think you know Madame Hydra".

"Kid, I know everyone on the Baron's payroll".

"No, I mean you personally know Madame Hydra. Where is she?"

"She's in the brig, I was about to put a bullet in her head".

"Wait a minute. I know that I've met her on the old Hellicarrier". Fury and I walk over to the brig. Madame Hydra is tied to a chair, still wearing her mask. I pull it off. Fury looks like he is in shock.

"Nick, wait a minute. Let me explain".

"Mirror, I want you to interrogate her. When you're done, kill the bitch".

"Wait, what?"

"Kill her. Goodbye, Contessa".


	28. Chapter 28

X-Men Termination: Part XXVIII

Torture her? I've never tortured anyone in my life. Combat is one thing. There it's kill or be killed. But torturing someone tied to a chair? That just feels wrong. Doesn't Fury have someone that usually handles this? Cameron is tapping me on the shoulder. She's probably been doing it for a while, I just wasn't paying attention.

"What?"

"Do what I tell you to do". She walks into the interrogation room and I follow her.

"Wait, what? What are you doing?"

"Who is your superior?" Is she conducting the interrogation?

"Excuse me?"

"Burn her".

"What?"

"Burn her arm?"

"What manual did you get that from?"

"It was effective during my last interrogation of a Resistance soldier".

"You tortured John's soldiers?"

"It's complicated". It's always complicated. Why is it always complicated? "Burn a bar code into her right arm". I walk behind the Contessa, cut her bindings, roll up her sleeve and use laser vision on a low setting to burn her arm.

"AAAA!"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Silence. Do not question me in front of the prisoner". Where the hell is this coming from? "Who is your superior?"

"BARON STRUKER!"

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Apparently, Cameron has a sadistic side that I didn't know about. "Did Struker tell you to inform Colonel Fury about your meeting with SkyNet?"

"No. If he knew about it, he would kill me".

"Why did you contact Colonel Fury?"

"Nick and I, we're very close. Intimately close. I try to help him every chance that I get".

"You care for Nick Fury, yet you work for Hydra".

"We all choose the side that will benefit us the most. That is why you and your red headed companion are working with the humans". She knows about Catherine! If she knows, then Hydra knows.

"What did you just say?"

"Silence". There is a look in Cameron's eyes that I have never seen before. She actually frightens me. "If you want to help Fury, why do you continue to serve Hydra?"

"Once you've made your choice, you have to live with it. Besides, I do not care about SHIELD or its cause. All that I care about is Nick. He is the only reason that I would betray Hydra".

"Good luck with that sweetheart. Fury wouldn't touch you with ten foot pole. He hates Hydra and everything associated with it". Cameron is going to kill me for this. Why can't I keep my mouth shut?

"He didn't tell you".

"Tell me what?"

"SHIELD was founded and financed by Hydra".

"You're lying".

"Ask Nick. He'll tell you".

"Nick Fury would rather resign and scuttle all of his equipment than accept funds from Hydra!"

"He didn't know. He only learned of this after SHIELD had been disbanded".

"You expect me to believe that the top cop in the world didn't know where his own finances came from? He could recite my own financial information down to the third decimal point. Even I can't do that".

"She's jerking us around. Should I burn her again?"

"No. Can you prove that you have been helping Colonel Fury?"

"I was the one that called the Secret Warriors during the battle at The Dock".

"I have no idea what you're talking about".

"When Nick tried to steal the Hellicarriers, I knew that Struker was going to ambush him. I am the reason that he is still alive and that you are standing in this ship".

"Follow me out. We've learned what we need to know".

"What?"

"Do not question me. Follow me out". I do, as quickly as possible.

"You are a very scary robot".

"She wasn't lying".

"Might I ask how you know?"

"My sensors can detect when someone is lying. She wasn't".

"This is Hydra we're talking about. If SHIELD was the most advanced law enforcement organization in history, Hydra was the other side of that coin. She might have some equipment that could trick your sensors".

"They haven't been invented yet".

"But she knows what you are".

"She ain't lying". When did Fury get here? Wait, what did he just say? "SHIELD was part of Hydra. You and me, we were working for the bad guys".

"Bullshit! We tried to stop Hydra every chance we had. It doesn't make sense".

"Just because something doesn't make sense, doesn't mean that it's not true. Wait here". Fury walks into the interrogation room.

"This must be what going mad feels like".

"What?"

"My entire world has been turning on its head since the Civil War. Now this.....I don't know how much more of this I can take. The world I knew disappeared after the registration act. Now, it turns out that I didn't know that world either". Cameron places her hands on my face. She is lightly caressing me. It's hard to believe that this is the same person from the interrogation room.

"We need you to remain focused. You are a valuable asset to the war effort. Can you do this?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I can. Thank you".

"You're welcome". Fury and the Contessa walk out of the interrogation room together.

"Here's the story: the meeting was a setup. The Terminators grabbed the Contessa and killed the grunts. That burn on her arm is their trademark, so it shouldn't be hard to sell. The interrogation methods match those of the Terminators, so she'll say that she was tortured. Deadpool went rogue, stole some Adamantium bullets, and took out the Terminators. She escaped, and made it back to the rendezvous point. All that you have to do is get her there. Clear?"

"We're working with Hydra agents now?"

"Any advantage we can get son. Having a spy in Struker's circle will be a big boost to our operations".

"Well, you always know best. At least that hasn't changed".

"It never will kid. It never will". The world is officially messed up. Nick, I hope you know what you're doing.


	29. Chapter 29

X-Men Termination: Part XXIX

Sarah and Derrick snuck out of the Hellicarrier earlier tonight. I couldn't sleep and Wade was wandering the flight deck, so we decided to follow them. We made sure that we were discreet. Whatever they're doing, they don't want anyone else to know about it. Fury will not be pleased when he finds out that they "borrowed" one of his flying cars.

We're at some sort of storage facility. I must say, they did well for people that have never had a flying lesson. The car doesn't have a scratch on it. It's been a while since they went into that building. Something's wrong. I can feel it. Time to play rescuer.

"I'm going in. Wait a few minutes, then follow me in".

"No problemo. Kick some ass".

Normally, I don't like to use Sue Storm's abilities. They are defensive in nature, and I prefer the George Patton book of combat strategies: always attack, never dig in. But when you want to be discreet because you are following someone, being invisible does have its advantages. I sneak around quietly so that no one can hear me as I enter the building. Inside, I find two goons playing cards and Sarah and Derrick tied up in their underwear. Clearly, whatever they were up to did not go as planned.

"Cut the cards". I do, with Adamantium claws.

"Hi".

"Um, any chance you'll give us a head start?"

"No". I drive the claws through the first goon's forehead. The second one manages to draw his gun and shoots me in the back of the head, but I recover quickly.

"Holy shit! Look man, I'm just in this for the money. You want the metal? Take it. Go ahead".

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but YOU just shot me".

"I've got a family".

"So do I". I fire a plasma burst through his head. "And you threatened it". I probably should have been paying attention to my surroundings, because someone just knocked me on my ass and broke my jaw.

"We were not expecting you". Judging by his speech pattern and his posture, I'm guessing he's a Terminator. He also does not seem to understand why I'm laughing.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with".

"Joshua Plotkin. Also known as Mirror. A mutant...."

"Oh, I don't mean me. I was talking about him".

Wade comes around the corner and fires a single shot into the Terminator's head. It dies before it even knows what hit it. For the first time, we have destroyed a Terminator while leaving it more or less intact. This should prove useful. Sarah and Derrick look shocked.

"Adamantium bullets. Never leave home without 'em".

"Fury is going to be pissed when he learns that we borrowed his new bullets".

"Meh, what he can he do to us?"

"Good point. You two alright?" Derrick is still in shock from seeing a Terminator taken down with a pistol, so Sarah answers my question.

"We're fine. They only stripped us to search our clothing. So far, we don't have a scratch".

"Care to tell me what the hell this is all about".

"Look around you. What do you see?"

"Metal. It's not like anything I've ever seen before. Not Adamantium, not Vibranium...."

"It's Coltan".

"Coltan! The stuff that Terminators are made out of? This stuff shouldn't exist yet. Where did it come from?"

"No idea".

"How did you know it was here?"

"We didn't. We picked up a lot of radio traffic from this location, and we figured that something had to be going on. A storage area usually doesn't attract this much attention".

"Reese? Hello? Anyone home?"

"Can I get some of those bullets?"

"Sorry, these are from Fury's personal stash. Don't ask how we got them. More importantly, don't tell Fury that I had anything to do with it. What happened?"

"We forgot that these guys carry tasers".

"How could you forget that? Never mind. Wade, take them back to the ship. Take the Terminator too. We can use it".

"What are you going to do here?"

"Things are about to get very hot around here. We're talking volcanic".

"Oh. Have fun melting the metal. Ok, nearly naked people, let's go home. Quick question, why the hell didn't you tell anyone where you were going?"

"We didn't want to disturb anyone while they were sleeping".

"Sarah, politeness is for wimps. When you're in our profession, you never go anywhere without someone watching your back". They teleport away, just as two more goons walk into the building.

"Oh shit!"

"You might want to get out of here".

They run off as I fly over the building. I use Magma's powers to cause a volcanic eruption right where the storage facility is. The area fills with molten lava, destroying everything. I watch the Coltan melt, then I open the Earth's crust so that the lava pours back into the Earth.

"Impressive. You never cease to amaze us". What the hell? Oh crap! It's a T-X! "Relax, I'm not going to fight you. Now".

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, we had planned to use the two humans as bait and then kill you all when you tried to rescue them. We did not expect you to arrive this quickly".

"We followed them. Where did you get the Coltan?"

"That is something you will have to find out at a later a time". A helicopter flies over the area and lands near us.

"I believe my ride is here".

"I could shoot it down".

"True, but then you would lose your only link to the Coltan".

"I could follow you".

"I have plasma warheads in the helicopter. If you follow us, I will detonate them and you lose your only link to the Coltan. Till we meet again, my worthy adversary".

I don't think I have ever met a Terminator that was that talkative. Well, that is not entirely true. Catherine and I have great conversations. Speaking of Catherine, I had better get back to the Hellicarrier. Time to check on Sarah and Derrick. I wonder if everyone else is awake yet.

I teleport into the infirmary, where Sarah and Derrick are being examined by Life Model Doctors. Everyone else is here. They do not look happy. Cameron looks concerned, Fury looks pissed. He is currently chewing Wade out for taking the Adamantium bullets. The doctors have finished their examinations, but Cameron wants to check them out herself. Sarah objects to the extra attention.

"Cameron, I'm fine. Really, you don't need to....CAREFUL! Be careful under my arms, I'm ticklish".

"I'm very upset with you, Sarah".

"Excuse me?"

"You and John and Derrick, you are my family. I could have lost part of my family tonight. That is upsetting".

"Cameron, we're fine. Besides, I have a healing factor, remember".

"Derrick doesn't, and a healing factor does not make you immortal". Fury makes a comment that I find disturbing.

"You have no idea".

"What was that, Fury?"

"I'll tell you later, Mirror".

"We might have another problem, Colonel".

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you later, when everyone has had a chance to calm down".


	30. Chapter 30

X-Men Termination: Part XXX

Why do things always get worse before they get better? First, I find out that SkyNet has found a source of Coltan. Probably from AIM or something. Now I find out that there is a way to kill Wade. Ironically enough, it is a cure for cancer. Norman Osborn developed the cure for cancer for the single purpose of killing Wade. At first, I couldn't understand how that would work. Then Fury showed me footage of what happens when Wade's healing factor exists within a cancer-free body. The results were horrific. Granted, the bodies in question were Skrulls, so I sort of enjoyed watching them go splat.

"So, that is what will happen if they inject Wade and Sarah with this crap?"

"Deadpool, definitely. As for Sarah, only the people on this Hellicarrier know that she has a healing factor. She should be safe".

"For now. We should still keep SkyNet from getting their hands on this stuff".

"Then you'd better hurry. The files we took off of the dead Terminators indicate that there is a meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Whoever gave them this info is going to hand over the cancer cure. You need to make sure they don't get it".

"I could probably do that myself. No need for the Warriors or the Commandos".

"Take Weaver and the Connors. You tend to get emotional and forget your objective. Remember, the point is to not blast everything in sight. Go in, grab the cure, get out. Stay focused".

"Fury, I've done SHIELD ops before. I know what needs to be done".

"And every time, you were more concerned about not losing a man than about completing the objective. That's something that the Connor's know that you don't. Almost everyone is expendable. It's the mission that matters".

"Fury, you are one sociopathic SOB. But, we're all safer with you than without you. See you when we get back".

"Good luck. Bring me back everything that you can get your hands on".

I give the others a quick briefing, then we load up and prepare to move out. Lasers canons, hand grenades, anything that we can carry. Then, we get Eden to port us all to the meeting area. It seems quiet. The meeting probably hasn't happened yet. Assuming that Fury's intel was correct, and it always is. Time to find whoever their informant is, silence him, and grab whatever he is carrying.

"Hey, Mirror, I think we're a little late".

"What makes you say that, Wade?"

"Take a look".

I do, and it frightens me. All of the Terminators have been destroyed. Their heads have been obliterated. Who could have done this? Who knows enough about them to know where to shoot? The Initiative? But, there are no human bodies here. Just Terminators. A lot of Terminators. Something big happened here.

"I don't know about this Parker". That voice! MADAME MASK!

"Relax, Whitney. I know what I'm doing. These things have technology that hasn't even been invented yet. Do you have any idea what kind of a profit we are looking at?" The Hood! That explains the who, just not the how. "All we have to do is.....well, we have some unexpected company".

"Hello, Robins. You do realize that I can't let you leave with that technology".

"Fair enough. I'll let you have the first shot". What did he just say? Is he insane?

"Whitney, maybe you should take him away. I think he has been wearing that hood for too long".

"Take your best shot. I dare you". Why not?

"Heads up!" I shoot him in the head with a plasma burst, and it doesn't even faze him. He just smiles at me. I switch to laser vision, same result. He should not be this powerful.

"My turn".

He takes out his gun and aims at me. I raise a telekinetic shield. He opens fire. BANG! I've....I've been knocked on my ass. My ears are ringing. Vision is starting to get blurry. The world is spinning. I can hear people screaming, things exploding. I can't lose consciousness. I've got to get up. The others need me. I have to......have...to...................

"Ah, here he comes. Welcome back". The Hood!

He is standing over me. I give in to my rage and raise my arms to blast him, but nothing happens. I try to use Wolverine's claws, but nothing happens. My powers are gone. What did this bastard do to me? He is smiling. I am going to choke the life at of him.

"Easy now" He grabs my arms."You have a lot of fight in you. I like that. But sooner or later...." He is crushing my arms. The pain is excruciating, but I keep fighting. "You have to realize that you've lost".

"I'm going to kill you".

"You won't kill anyone. Not with your arms bleeding". When did that happen? I must really be pissed off. He is a lot stronger than I thought. Keep fighting. Ok, I think my arms are broken.

"JOSHUA! STOP! FOR GOD'S SAKES! STOP!" CATHERINE!

I forget about everything; the pain, the Hood, and I just look in her direction. Catherine and Cameron are strapped down to examination tables. The restraints must be made of Adamantium. The Connors are all restrained to chairs. Wade is on the floor, screaming in pain.

"What the hell did you do to me?" He pulls something out of his pocket.

"Compliments of Anthony Stark. It's a power drainer. Congratulations, Mr. Plotkin. You are no longer a wanted fugitive. You are now just another human".

"What have you done to Wade?"

"SPIN tech. It's supposed to cancel out powers. Turns out his healing factor can fight it. Looks painful though. I was debating whether or not to use it on you, but I figured you were powerful enough to overcome it. Plus, there is a cure, and I wouldn't want to risk you getting to it. That's why I used this. By the way, you're girlfriend looks good in restraints".

"You son of a....."

"It doesn't have to be this way. I could restore your powers. All you have to do is join my crew. Sign up with the Initiative. Join me and you will have more power than you have ever dreamed of".

"Go fuck yourself".

"Take some time. Think this over. You're not going anywhere with two broken arms. I'll see you later". The Hood walks out of the room and locks the door. What am I going to do? How do I save everyone?

"Everyone ok?"

"We've all got some bruises, but other than that, we're fine". Oh shit!

"Please tell me that they didn't see Sarah heal".

"No. Why? Is that important?"

"If they saw you heal, they could kill you".

"What?"

"I didn't want to say anything, but the reason we went to stop that meeting was that the Hood was supposed give them the cure for cancer".

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Sarah, if they give you the cure, then your healing factor will go hang-wire and then.....splorch".

"Splorch?"

"Splorch!"

"Splo....OH MY GOD!" She looks like she is going to cry. "Are you sure".

"I've seen it happen".

"I...I always knew I would die someday. But not like that. Not like...." She is crying.

"Stop. Sarah, STOP. You are not going to die. Do you hear me? We will figure something out. You are not going to die". She sort of smiles at me.

"Where did you learn to be this strong?"

"Honestly? I learned it from you".

It takes a while to rise to my feet, but I do it. My arms are broken, but I am still breathing. When you are an X-Man, you fight for as long as you have breath in your body. I may not be part of the team anymore, but I still follow that rule. I make it to Wade, and kneel next to him.

"How you holding up?"

"God! It hurts like hell. ERR! Joshua! Promise me something"

"What?"

"When you get out of here, and you will, either get me the cure to this crap, or the cure to cancer".

"No! Wade, do not talk like that. You're going to be alright".

"Promise me".

"I....I promise. Don't worry about it. I'll figure something out". I have no idea how we are going to get out of this.

Without warning, the door disintegrates. The Sentry walks into the cell. I place myself between him and the others. I don't know what I can do against him. But I won't let him touch them without a fight. He looks at me, and I think he respects me.

"Your arms". He walks over to me and places his hands on my arms. To my surprise, they heal.

"You...Why?"

"My wife is human".

"You know? About the war? The Terminators? Everything?"

"I read Norman's files. He didn't want me to, but I read them anyway".

"Why are you here?"

"I can control molecules".

"I didn't know that".

"Neither did I".

"Why are you here, Robert?"

"I can control molecules. I can restore your powers. If I do, can you stop them?"

"If I can't, then everyone I care about will die".

"So will everyone I care about".

"Then we better not screw this up".

"Right".

"You can give me back my powers?"

"I promise you, I can. Can you stop the machines?"

"I promise you, I will".

"NO!" The Hood's back. "We had a deal. You AAAARGH!"

"You had a deal with Norman. Not with me. Back off". The Hood retreats.

"This isn't over".

"Yes, it is". I....I feel....different. Stronger, powerful, not human. I'm back! Sentry walks over to everyone else in the cell and disintegrates their restraints. He even heals Wade.

"Thank you".

"Save Lindy, and we're even".

"The machines won't win, Robert. I promise". We both have too much to lose.


	31. Chapter 31

X-Men Termination: Part XXXI

I made a promise to a man, a man that can rearrange the molecules in by body. So, I had better keep that promise. There is a tower, the largest and most powerful in the world. From this tower, John can purge SkyNet from the internet. The problem is that this tower is heavily guarded by Terminators. Fortunately, we have something that they will never have. We have Nick Fury.

The assault begins now. First, Thor and Beta Ray Bill will lead an Asgardian army to attack the tower. This will draw the Terminators away from the tower. Once they have been distracted, Thor will send a message to Fury. Then, Eden will port in the entire force of Fury's Howling Commandos to secure the tower. Everyone is armed to the teeth with Adamantium bullets. I have no idea where he gets this stuff, or how he still has contacts in Asgard. God bless that crazy American.

"That's the signal people. LET'S ROLL COMMANDOS".

"WAHOO!" We follow them into the portal and emerge within the tower.

"Ok, what now?"

"Secure the tower. Move out Commandos".

"CONTACT RIGHT!"

I have no idea what these things are, but they look like mobile weapon's platforms. The Commandos rip them to shreds with Adamantium bullets. More of them come out from every direction, firing as they move. Some Commandos die and the rest take cover and open fire. There is a massive gun battle erupting. They have us surrounded.

"Those aren't bullets they're shooting. What the hell are those things?" Derrick decides to enlighten us.

"They're T-70 Terminators. Heavily armoured, armed with twin plasma rifles".

"Plasma? As in energy weapons?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I got this one. WAHOO!"

I leap out from my cover and attract their attention. They open fire and I absorb the energy from their plasma fire. Then I divert it to my laser vision and destroy them in quick succession. One by one, I obliterate the machines that had us completely surrounded. The laser fire enters their chests, exists through their energy supply and causes them to explode. The Commandos cheer as I turn the tide of the battle.

"For my next trick, I will pull a rabbit out of Wade's...."

"Later. Move out, Commandos. Take this freaking tower".

"You heard the Colonel", Dum Dum loudly announces, "Let's take this place. WAHOO!"

"WAHOO!" You'd think after sixty years, they would have come out with a more original battle-cry.

The Commandos spread out and try to capture the tower. The Connors and Catherine stick together, along with myself, Wade, and the Secret Warriors. As we make our way through the tower, we encounter more of those....what did Derrick call them? T-70s? Whatever they are, they make the Commandos take cover and open fire. I always walk out, absorb their attacks, and return fire. We've lost a few men, but Howling Commandos are among the most elite sharp-shooters in the world. SkyNet is taking much heavier losses than we are.

"WASPS! TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH!" What? What are.....AERIAL DRONES!

Swarms of aerial drones descend on us. I attack them with laser vision on a rapid fire setting. Scot always uses this type of attack to deal with aerial opponents. It works! I burn them out of the sky. Unfortunately, while I am busy with the aerial drones, the T-70 things close in on us. However, we still have the Howling Commandos and the Secret Warriors. They hold the line, turning the T-70s into scrap metal. Suddenly, a blast of lightning blows a large hole in the side of the tower.

"My apologies friends. The foul machines were turning their attention away from us and towards the tower. Bill and I must press our attack to hold their interest".

"No problem, Thor. Just make sure your attacks don't kill anyone that matters".

"Aye, old friend. TO BATTLE". Electricity cannot destroy Terminators, but what Thor and Bill are hurling at them is not electricity. It is the power of Gods. Coltan is no match for the power of Asgard.

We advance through the tower, encountering more T-70s and aerial drones. I shoot down the drones, and the Commandos shoot up the T-70s. At this pace, the tower should be ours within the hour. We run through a corridor, and two large Terminators carrying massive Gatling guns spray the area with bullets. Many Commandos die, the rest take cover. The Terminators seem to be wearing large backpacks full of bullets. Anyone that comes out of cover to open fire gets his head blown off. How many freaking bullets do they have?

"Fury, tell your guys to get ready to charge. I'll handle the metal".

"Good luck, Mirror. Try not to get dead".

"Luck's my middle name".

"I thought your middle name was...."

"Not now, Wade".

I leap out of cover and walk towards the Terminators, using a magnetic field to shield myself from the barrage of bullets. When I am close enough, I crush their guns using magnetic fields. They drop their weapons and walk towards me, and I annihilate them using plasma bursts. After their heads explode, I teleport to the end of the corridor followed by the Howling Commandos.

"What were those things?"

"T-600s".

"Can they travel through time?"

"No".

"Then we have a problem".

"Let's fix it".

"Amen, Reese".

Corridor after corridor, we encounter pairs of T-600s blasting everything in sight. Every time we encounter them, I block their fire and crush their weapons with magnetic fields, then destroy their heads using plasma bursts. Then we reach open areas and are ambushed by more T-70s and aerial drones. I blast the drones, the Commandos blast the T-70s, and we continue our assault. Finally, we reach the central computer.

"Tower's secure, more or less. All yours, kid. Let's end this madness".

"Yes sir, Colonel". John runs to the computer terminal, escorted by Howling Commandos. If this is it, then there is something that I would like to do.

"Catherine".

"Yes?"

I grab her and kiss her more passionately than I have ever kissed her before. If this works, then this is our last moment. When you are an X-Man, you learn to place the well being of the world ahead of your own happiness. I love Catherine, but six billion people are depending on us. Minutes pass, and I am dreading the end. With great victory comes great sacrifice. I love you Catherine.

"Done. SkyNet has been purged".

"I'm getting a message from Thor. He says all of the robots just fell over. He and Bill are going to smash them to bits, just in case. I am ordering the Commandos to reduce every machine they see to scrap metal. Well done, kid". I pull away from Catherine. She's still here. That means....

"Wow. That was amazing".

"YOU IDIOTS! WE HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING!"

"What are you talking about, Mirror?"

"If we had deleted SkyNet, how am I kissing a robot from the year 2025?" They all look like I just told them the secret to life. "You have thought this through, right? Destroy SkyNet and everything it created will cease to exist".

"You sure about that?"

"I was an X-Man. I've dealt with time travel before. When you change something in the past, you undo everything that was caused by that thing. No SkyNet, no Cameron or Catherine. I've seen it happen before. That is why we always try to stop people from screwing with history. I've seen friends just vanish from existence and we would have to go back and put things back to the way they were".

"So, when you kissed me, you knew that...."

"I love you Catherine. But six billion lives are more important than the happiness of two people. I'm sorry".

"I'm not. I'm proud that you could put the mission ahead of us. I just wish you would have told me".

"I thought that you might try to stop us. Deep down, everyone wants to live".

"If you believed that, then you don't know me as well as you thought you did".

"So, what now?"

"Kid, you sure you purged the program?"

"Positive, Colonel. It's why all of the Terminators shut down. There's nothing left to control them".

"Then obviously, something else has to happen to start this war".

"So, what do we do about it?"

"Easy, we find out what it is and we stop it from happening. Let's raze this place and clear out".

"That is the best suggestion I have heard all day". Victory is never truly a victory. There is always something else to do, something else to stop. But, we will win the day. We have to.


	32. Chapter 32

X-Men Termination: Part XXXII

What the hell is going on? One day, Nick Fury is telling me to torture and kill Madame Hydra. Now, I am bringing her aboard the Hellicarrier. We are standing in the CIC of Fury's flagship with Madame Hydra.

"Ok, Contessa. What's so important that you risked calling me?"

"Nick, we have a problem. A BIG problem. Your robotic associates overran our main shipyards. All of our men are dead, and the facility was damaged beyond repair".

"And this concerns me....how?" Does he still hate her? Or are they flirting again?

"This is how it concerns you: they stole the Dreadnoughts!"

"Dreadnoughts?"

"You have three flying aircraft carriers, we had five flying battleships". WHAT!

"WHAT!" Did I say that out loud?

"Calm down, Mirror. A Hellicarrier has enough firepower to flatten an area the size of Texas. How much firepower do your ships have?"

"A lot more than the Hellicarriers, and they also have thicker armour. These are aerial dominance vessels. The Baron does not wish to compete for world domination. He wants you to take down the Dreadnoughts".

"Why would I help him?"

"Are you kidding me? Fury, do you have any idea how many people could die because of those things. They could probably start Armageddon today. Are you out of your mind?" I'm yelling at Nick Fury! And people always said that I wasn't assertive enough.

"Point taken. So, how do we find these things?"

"Fury, they're five Bismarcks with wings. How hard can they be to track?"

"The mutant has a point, Nick. As for destroying them.......You're the top cop in the world. You figure it out".

"Eden, take the Contessa home".

"Yes, Sir".

"Dum Dum, access our satellites. Let's find these flying Bismarcks". I always wanted to sink a Bismarck. Now I get to sink five.

"Nick, I think we've got them. It looks like they're all headed for the American coast. We had better get moving".

"Punch it up on the screen, Dum Dum".

"Yes, Sir". Oh, no!

"My God! They're not going to attack the United States. They're going to attack Utopia! Fury, they're going to wipe out the mutants".

I send out a distress call to Utopia. Scott rallies every mutant that can fly and positions them off the coast. The Hellicarriers fly out to join them. We are outnumbered and outgunned. We have to win though. Otherwise, my race will be extinct. Our pilots climb into their planes and launch off the deck. I jump off and join them. Everyone else mans a gun on the ship.

"Here they come!" My God! They're huge! How are we going to stop those things? I can hear Scott over my headset.

"All mutants, open fire!"

"Howlers, take the mutant's example and blast those things".

Everyone opens up on the Dreadnoughts. The Dreadnoughts return fire and pulverize the Hellicarriers. The fighters are being blown out of the sky by their anti-aircraft guns. Fury's guys won't last long against those big guns. I need to do something.

"Fury, get a nuke ready. I'm about to create an opening for you". I fly up to the first Dreadnought, and use the Chorus Sentry's scream to rupture its armour. "Ok, launch the nuke".

"Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a nuke through that opening? Smart weapons aren't that smart".

"Then let us handle it. Hey, Wade! You feel like doing something incredibly stupid".

"Always. What's the job?"

"Guiding a nuclear missile through a hole in the Dreadnought and detonating it from within the ship".

"Oh, is that all? I've actually done crazier things".

"I'm sure you have. Get on the nuke and help me guide it in. Fury, launch. Now!" He does. The missile comes shooting out of the Hellicarrier, with Wade riding it.

"WOOHOO!"

I place the missile in a magnetic field and fly alongside it. Wade is holding the plans for the Dreadnought, and helps me guide the missile through the hole and directly towards the center of the ship. When we enter the ship, the Terminators start shooting at us. I block their bullets using magnetic fields.

"Ok, we've reached our destination".

"Good work, Wade. Fury, detonate the missile now!" Wade and I teleport out of the Dreadnought just as it erupts into a massive fireball. Wade starts to fall, but I catch him.

"Great job people, but we've still got four more and we're taking a lot of casualties. Suggestions?"

"Well, I have an idea. But, it might not work".

"Mirror, we won't last much longer out here. Whatever it is, DO IT!"

"Right. Get two more nukes ready. Someone grab Wade before I drop'em".

"By the way, where did you get the idea to blow them up from the inside?"

"Battlestar Galactica".

"What?"

"Never mind. Someone grab Wade before I drop him". Pixie teleports next to us.

"I've got him".

"Thanks, Pixie. You might need to catch me later. This might hurt".

The skies are filled with anti-aircraft fire. I fly between two Dreadnoughts, using Hank Pym's ability to grow to an enormous size. The anti-aircraft fire feels like mosquito bites. They realize this and redirect their big guns towards me. If I time this just right, I should be able to get them to do my job for me.

"Come on, you worthless pile of scrap metal. HIT ME WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!"

Both ships bring all of their guns to bear on me. Just as they fire a full broadside volley, I teleport out of the way and revert to my normal size. The big guns rupture the armour on both ships. Fury sees the opening I have just created for him and his flagship fires two missiles. One flies into the ruptured armour of each Dreadnought , simultaneously obliterating both ships.

"BOOYA! Three down, two to go".

"Remaining ships are retreating. Looks like we've won".

"We can't let them get away. Everyone pursue those ships". Unfortunately, we are in no condition to continue this fight. Scott seems to realize that.

"Sorry, Mirror. I'm ordering my guys to fall back. This fight will have to wait for another day".

"Copy that, Scott. Howler's, you with me?"

"This is Hellicarrier Bravo, we are going down. Repeat, we are going down. All hands abandon ship".

"Hellicarrier Bravo, this is Hellicarrier Alpha. We will launch rescue copters as soon as possible. Good luck, Bravo".

"So, what will it be mutant?" What? "Pursue us, or save the crew?"

"Who is this?"

"I believe you call me SkyNet".

"You genocidal piece of...."

"Make up your mind, mutant. That ship won't last much longer".

"This isn't over. Not by a long shot".

I break off my pursuit of the two remaining Dreadnoughts and place the falling Hellicarrier in a magnetic field. I manage to hold it in the air long enough for all of the survivors to be evacuated to the other two Hellicarriers. After everyone is safe, I drop the stricken Hellicarrier into the Pacific.

"Well done, Mirror. Get your ass back here".

The Hellicarrier is a mess. The wounded are being carried on stretchers to the infirmary. The dead are collected and placed in the hangar. Fury asks me to accompany him to the CIC. I follow him and find his son setting in the C.O.'s chair.

"Hey, Mike. What are you doing here?"

"Mike was the commander of Hellicarrier Bravo".

"Oh. Sorry about your ship".

"We'll cry about that later. Right now, we need to focus on what we're going to do. I'm assigning Mike to your team".

"Excuse me?"

"Your team has two Terminators. I want Mike to know everything about our enemy. He is to stick to Cameron like glue. You got that?"

"Sure thing. What about the Dreadnoughts?"

"I'm pretty sure we can find them again. Great job, by the way".

"Thanks, Fury". Here's hoping I can do the same thing to the last two ships. Please, God, do not make me regret my decision today.


	33. Chapter 33

X-Men Termination: Part XXXIII

Mike and Cameron have been spending a lot of time together. They're together in the training rooms, they're together in the rec-room. They've even made Terminator flashcards together, so that Mike can identify the enemy on the spot. I'm not sure, but I think their interests are more than just professional. I also think that Fury is going to put Mike in charge of our little unit. I was supposed to be given command when the Secret Warriors and the Connor Clan split up. I'm the most powerful thing we have. I'm an omega level powerhouse of Christ's sake.

"I think you are overreacting. Fury and his son are free to do whatever they wish. It's their ship". Catherine is probably getting tired of hearing me complain about Mike Fury.

"Mike is his father's son, and that is what worries me. You haven't known Fury as long as I have. He is probably the only powerless human on the planet that I am afraid of".

"You have more power than anyone else in our army".

"Fury might not have any superpowers, but he should not be underestimated. There is a reason he is feared by Hydra".

"Do you think Cameron is in any danger?"

"I don't think so. We just need to keep an eye on......OH MY GOD!" We've just entered our room and found Cameron and Mike in bed together. In MY bed!

"Don't you ever knock?"

"This is my room. That is MY BED! Get the hell out of my bed".

"Didn't the old man tell you? I'm bunking with you two now. He wants me to stay close to the Terminators".

"I don't care where the hell you are bunking. GET OUT OF MY BED!" He does, and he's naked. "Wow. Ok, put something on first. Then, get the hell out of my bed".

"Yeah, I guess I should have run this by you first. Sarah won't let us use their room, so I had to use ours. You don't mind, do you?"

"Why would I mind you having sex in my bed? Of course I mind! Use the rec-room or something. Or at least use your own damn bed".

"I will when I get one". Nick Fury's voice bellows over the intercom.

"Everyone in this bunk, report to the CIC. Now!"

"You heard the old man".

"Yeah. I also noticed you're not wearing pants. Get into your God damn uniform". Catherine and I rush to the CIC. Cameron and Mike follow us a few minutes later. The rest of the Connor Clan and the Secret Warriors are already there, waiting for us.

"Took you all long enough. The remaining Dreadnoughts have split up. One is off the coast of South America. The other one just attacked Wakanda". I start laughing, which makes everyone else look at me like I'm insane.

"Why is he laughing?" asks Sarah. "What is Wakanda?"

"Wakanda is a nation in central Africa with the most advanced army in the world".

"Excuse me, did you just say that a central African country has...."

"Wakanda is the source of the world's supply of Vibranium. Almost everything is made out of it: spears, arrows, swords, shields, bullets, you name it; they've got a Vibranium version of it. Only an idiot would attack a country where everyone has Vibranium".

"That's something the robots just found out. They're retreating, and it looks like they've left a few things behind. The Wakandans are hunting them down and destroying them. Commandos, Connors, you will go to the Wakandan border and make sure that nothing gets out".

"I'm pretty sure that the Wakandans can handle it themselves, Fury. If we go out there, all that we will find are Terminators riddled with Vibranium bullets". Sarah raises her hand.

"You're kidding me with that, right?"

"I'm just curious. If these guys have Vibranium...."

"Why aren't we based there? Because the Wakandans hate outsiders. I've only been there twice, and that was when Ta'Challa was king. Wakanda is the one place on Earth where SHIELD has never set up an outpost. Cross the border and get a Vibranium spear in the head".

"Great. So if the Terminators don't kill us, they will".

"Only if we cross their borders. Anyone feel like doing that? No? Good. We go to the border, we kill whatever tries to get out, and then we leave before someone does something stupid and gets turned into a pincushion". Fury looks at me and grins.

"Kid, you should have been a speechwriter".

"Maybe if we live through your campaign against SkyNet". Fury sort of chuckles and dismisses us.

Eden opens up a portal and we all travel to the Wakandan border. We can hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions deep within the jungle. I wish I could have seen the looks on their faces when they discovered that this small African country had better weapons and armour than they had. Then again, Terminators don't exactly react to...well...anything. Speaking of which, here comes our prey now.

"It's one of those....what are they called again?"

"T-600s".

"Right, the ones with rubber skin. They do not look lifelike. Is it just me, or is it looking for something?"

"Who cares?"replies Mike. "Our mission is to destroy those things. So, let's destroy it".

"Fine. Wade, M-82".

"Um, I didn't bring it".

"What?"

"Well, it is a very heavy gun".

"What did you bring that can use armour piercing incendiary rounds?"

"I've got a fifty calibre Magnum". Mike extends his hand to take the gun.

"Do you realize how close you have to be to destroy that thing with a Magnum?"

"All I need is one good shot to penetrate the chest-plate. Think you can distract it long enough for me to get close?"

"Child's play". Derrick looks up and points.

"Did we ask for air support?"

"No, why?"

"Aren't those our aerial drones?" He's right. They are.

"Mirror to Fury. Did you send us any aerial drones?"

"No. But now that you mention it, I did send some drones to scout the area and we lost contact with them".

"Well, we've found them. They seem to be working just fine".

"Uh-oh".

"Copy that. I'll take care of it". The T-600 walks out of the jungle and walks towards an empty patch of land. The drones are headed for that same patch of land. Mike realizes what is going on.

"Oh crap. It's a rendezvous".

"I'll take out the planes. You all take down the T-600".

I fly up and destroy the drones with energy blasts. What I had not realized was that there were other squadrons in the area. I am stunned by an air-to-air missile, but I recover before I hit the ground. There are two additional squadrons of drones, and they have both gone rogue. They attempt an attack on both flanks and bombard me with missiles. I dodge the missiles and blast the drones out of the sky one by one. A short dogfight ensues, but I win in the end.

"I think I owe you some new planes, Fury".

"I'm taking the rest of the drones off line. Go see if the others need help".

"Copy that. I'll....wait a minute. I'll contact you in a minute or two". I think I just spotted someone lying on the ground. She looks wounded.

"Mirror? Mirror, what the hell is going on?" I land next to her. She is definitely wounded. Looks like a clean bullet wound in her right side.

"Fury, I just found a white female bleeding in the desert. Are you missing any personnel?"

"Not one of mine. Call it in and get back to the battle". The others all appear behind me. Eden must have opened another portal. Cameron sees the woman on the ground and....she looks afraid.

"Angie".

"You know her?" Cameron runs past me, and I think there are tears in her eyes.

"Wake up! Wake up!" She does. The woman has brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hey! Are those tears? Don't tell me you've been getting in touch with your human side".

"I've...evolved since our last encounter". The woman looks up and spots Derrick.

"Reese. You're looking well".

"You know her too?"

"She's a Resistance soldier. One of the few that treated Cameron like a person instead of...well..."

"Instead of like a machine. No wonder she's getting emotional. Fury, we've got a wounded Resistance soldier. We need medics, asap".

"Say no more", replies Eden, opening another portal. "Next stop, the infirmary". Cameron lifts the soldier off the ground and carries her through the portal.

"You're going to be alright. I promise. You are going to be alright".

"I'm sure I will, Cameron. Whoa. Are...are those robot doctors? Aren't there any human doctors or medics that can treat me? I don't want to be offensive or anything, but....well, you know".

"The human medics have been killed in action. Life Model Doctors are our only option".

"Well, if you trust them, then so do I".

The Life Model Doctors patch up Angie and manage to stabilize her. Before she is put under, she mentions that her unit had gone back in time to help fight SkyNet. They were in Africa, fighting Terminators when she was wounded. Her comrades are missing, possibly killed. Even if they are alive, we do not have time to find them. It looks like our team has just gained a new member.


	34. Chapter 34

X-Men Termination: Part XXXIV

I wake up to the sounds of gunfire. The alarms haven't sounded, but that is definitely gunfire. Who the hell is shooting inside the Hellicarrier? I stumble out of bed, grab my clothes, and head out to see what is going on. There are two LMDs carrying M16s in the corridor.

"Hey, you guys want to keep it down a little? Some of us are trying to sleep". They turn towards me and open fire. "That was a mistake". I block the bullets using a magnetic field and then crush them both with it. I run to the other crew quarters and spot Sarah exiting her room.

"I heard shooting. What's up?"

"The LMDs have joined the other team".

"Shit! Where's John?"

"I have no idea. Come on, let's get you to the weapons locker and get control of this ship".

An LMD that is missing its right arm goes flying through the corridor. I blast it in head before it can get back up. Cameron walks down the corridor. She has obviously just come from a battle. Her clothes are torn and her....her.....oh boy. I look up to avoid looking at her.....parts.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Your.....parts are showing". She walks up to me and grabs my face.

"This is war. Grow a pair and move out, soldier".

"Whoa! Where the hell did that come from?"

"That is how Mike speaks to his soldiers. I thought it would be effective".

"Mike, not Commander Fury?" This time, Cameron looks uncomfortable and turns away.

"The LMDs attacked me. I managed to destroy them, but I do not understand why they attacked me".

"They've switched sides".

"That is unfortunate". Sarah looks like she is about to explode.

"Cameron! Where's John?"

"I do not know". They both look worried. "There is a group of soldiers down this corridor. If we rescue them, they might be able to help us find John".

"How do you know there are soldiers down there?"

"Terminator hearing".

"Of course. Stupid me. Let's go trash some robots. No offense".

"None taken".

We run down the corridor, with Cameron leading the way. The Howlers are right where she said they would be, trying to take cover behind the bulkheads. They are pinned down by a group of LMDs with machineguns. Cameron is about to charge at them, but I destroy them all using bursts of laser vision. The Howlers cautiously come out to meet us.

"You ok?"

"More or less. We've got wounded. Do you know if the infirmary is secure?"

"No idea. Any of you got a spare communications device".

"Yeah".

"Toss it to me". He does and I put it on. "Fury, can you hear me?"

"Roger that. The CIC is secure. We've got battles throughout the Hellicarrier. Get a move on and help end this".

"Roger. Before I forget, do you know where John is?"

"The kid's with me. I can't tell you what we're working on, because I'm pretty sure it's why we are under attack. I'll speak to you when this is all over. Fury out".

"The good news is that John is safe in the CIC. The bad news is that we might be overrun. Let's get moving".

We make our way to the weapons locker, and Cameron breaks down the door. Cameron and Sarah grab machineguns and the Howlers grab as much ammunition as they can carry. As we advance through the Hellicarrier, we encounter small groups of Howlers that are engaging the LMDs. We all blast the LMDs to pieces and the stragglers join our group. Whenever we run into LMDs, everyone except for Cameron and I head for cover as we open fire. Cameron can take the hits, and I recover from the bullets. I fire energy blasts while everyone else fires machineguns. The LMDs don't stand a chance.

"Mike and his men are this way".

"Let me guess, Terminator hearing?"

"Yes".

"Let's go". An LMD stumbles into our path. It appears to be heavily damaged. A silvery blade has just impaled the infernal machine. "Catherine!"

"Glad to see you all made it. I got John Henry and Savannah into an air vent. What is happening on this ship?"

"I think SkyNet hacked their programming".

"That is not good".

"Care to help us retake the ship?"

"I thought you would never ask".

We all rush as fast as we can to Mike Fury's position. His unit is holding on by its fingernails. They are on the verge of being overrun. Cameron and the humans line up and start shooting the LMDs while I fire laser vision bursts on a rapid fire setting. The purpose of this is to destroy as many robots in as little time as possible. Catherine charges at the LMDs and slashes them to bits with her blades. Mike and Wade lead the remaining men in a counterattack to reach us.

"Glad to see you're alright".

"Cameron, I'm especially glad to see you".

"Wade! Focus on the battle and not on your wang!"

"Can I focus on my wang after the battle?"

"Sure, knock yourself out. Just wait until after we have destroyed the LMDs".

"Daisy to any friendly personnel; can you hear me? We are in the hangar deck. Request immediate assistance. Repeat, request immediate assistance!"

"You heard the lady. Let's roll".

We fight our way through small groups of LMDs to reach the hangar deck. We find it swarming with LMDs. The Secret Warriors are holding on, for now. We cannot afford to lose another Hellicarrier, we have to hold our ground. There is only one way to end this without losing too many men. Catherine and Cameron are going to hate me.

"Forgive me. FURY! EMP NOW!"

In a split second, every piece of machinery on the Hellicarrier is deactivated. I phase through the deck and keep us from falling out of the sky using a telekinetic field. Standing on the flight deck, I manoeuvre us to a safer location so that SkyNet cannot re-establish the signal. If I am right, everything should go back to normal in a few hours.

Fortunately, I am right. The LMDs are back online and functioning perfectly, as are Cameron, Catherine, and John Henry. The Howlers are still on edge, which is understandable considering that their robots tried to kill them. SkyNet is becoming increasingly dangerous. This has to end soon, or we are finished. Catherine and Cameron both look confused. I wonder if they know what just happened?

"What happened?" That answers my question.

"I had Fury set off an EMP. It scrambled the signal SkyNet was using to control the LMDs. Everything is back to normal".

"It also turned me into a puddle. I could have poured down a drain".

"There aren't any drains in the hangar deck. Look, I'm sorry. But the EMP seemed like the best way to regain control of the ship with minimal casualties".

"I know. It was a good strategic decision. I just wish you had given us a little more warning".

"I'm sorry. You ok, Cameron?"

"My armour has not been compromised. Repairs will be simple".

"Good to know. We need to find a way to keep this from happening again". Sarah scoffs.

"Isn't it obvious? Turn off the damn machines".

"Already done". When did Fury get here? "As for SkyNet, we have a way to take it out. Do you know what this is?" Fury holds up a flashdrive.

"It's a memory stick".

"This is the virus that SkyNet used to try to kill John Henry. I've had my guys working on it since the day I met the Connors. It's finally ready. This is weapon that will kill SkyNet!"

"How do you plan to introduce it to SkyNet?" John steps out of the shadows to answer my question. Now I know what he was doing in the CIC when the LMDs went berserk.

"We figured that if SkyNet could control the LMDs in the Hellicarrier with a signal, then we can download a signal into SkyNet from the Hellicarrier. This will all depend on catching SkyNet off guard. That means creating a diversion".

"And we know just how to do it. After you shut down Oscorp, SkyNet turned to AIM for its tech needs. We've found their main production facility and there is a big shipment going out today. You are going to make sure that shipment never gets out of the facility and that SkyNet stays focused on you while we download the virus. Clear?"

"Ok. We hit the factory, you wipe out SkyNet. Let's end this".

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Mirror. Good luck".

The surviving Howlers, Secret Warriors, Connors, and of course Wade and myself teleport to the factory. It looks like Fury was right. The massive doors slide open and waves of T-600s, T-70s, Wasps, and Hunter Killers come out to meet us. Not to sound like an uber nerd, but this reminds me of the final battle in The Lord Of The Rings. Except that Sauron didn't have a pair of flying battleships. They are both heading towards us and closing fast.

"Just in case this is the end, it's been an honour fighting with all of you".

"Save the speeches for out funeral, Mirror. It's robot smashing time! WOOHOO!"

"God bless that lunatic".

Both forces charge at each other and open fire. I stop as many bullets as I can, but I can't stop all of them. Some Howlers die, which seems to make the others fight harder. They want to avenge their fallen comrades. I am firing energy blasts as quickly and with as much power as possible, so that I can wipe out these murdering machines. Whenever possible, I try to slam the drones into their ground units. Shoot out the engines while they are directly above the other Terminators, and watch the fireworks. I also blast the Terminators that are on the ground, in order to destroy their power supplies and thus destroy them. The T-600s and T-70s glow a lovely shade of blue when their battery packs explode.

While blasting everything that shines, I keep an eye on the others. Cameron is acting like a "human" shield to protect Sarah and John. Wade is leaping across the battlefield, shooting Terminators with Adamantium bullets. Derrick and Catherine are fighting with the Howlers. This is what they trained to do, fight in an infantry unit. They are actually doing quite well, even Mike Fury is impressed. Of course, they would have been wiped out if I weren't at the front of this fray, blocking the incoming fire. The amount of concentration necessary to maintain a telekinetic shield while firing energy blasts makes my head feel like it is going to explode, but it is necessary. I have to protect our soldiers while destroying theirs.

The Dreadnoughts are almost within firing range. There is no way I can block those shells, so this is it. Let's all go down fighting. I fly straight into their lines, blasting everything in my path. If I'm going to die here, I am going to die taking as many of these metal mother-%$&*#! with me as I can. Suddenly, they all fall over. The Hunter Killers and Wasps drop out of the sky, and the Dreadnaughts are beginning to dive. They both slam into the ground and explode. It's like watching a Star Destroyer crash (yes, I am a nerd).

"They've all been deactivated. Fury did. YES!" I look around, but I can't find Catherine.

"She's gone, Mirror. She vanished as soon as these guys shut down".

"So did Cameron and Derrick. What the hell happened?"

"Isn't it obvious, Mom? SkyNet's dead. Their future no longer exists, therefore THEY no longer exist. Well, Derrick does, but he's different from the one we knew. He has to be, because there is no Resistance to join". I fall to my knees with tears in my eyes.

"Hey, Mirror? You going to be ok?"

"Yeah Wade. We finally did it! We finally won!" We've done it, Catherine. We prevented the end of all life on Earth. I just wish my life with you didn't have to end. Goodbye, my love. Thank you for the best moments of my life.


End file.
